


You Warm Me Up

by Lisamc21



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Another reason David wears those sweaters, David Rose Loves Patrick Brewer, David Rose is Resilient, Fiddling with some canon elements, First Kiss, First Time, M/M, Magical Healing Cock, Patrick Brewer has a Magic Dick, Patrick Brewer loves David Rose, Witch Curses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:21:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 22,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27768970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lisamc21/pseuds/Lisamc21
Summary: David was cursed to feel freezing cold all the time, but one day he shakes the hand of the cute guy helping him with his business license, and he feels warm for the first time in 14 years. This fic incorporates several canon elements/plot points.This is rated E for one chapter (it will be clearly labeled). The rest of the chapters are rated T for those who would prefer to skip E content.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 88
Kudos: 235
Collections: Schitt's Creek: Frozen Over (2020)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [SCFrozenOver2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/SCFrozenOver2020) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Pre-relationship AU: Patrick or David gets cast with a spell/curse where they feel freezing cold unless they are being touched/cuddled/etc by the other. Much mutual pining ensues.

David casually pocketed his key to the love room while Alexis looked at her textbook and prattled on about her business 101 homework. She didn’t say anything so he must have managed to not catch her eagle-eyed attention. Good. He didn’t need her grilling him about why he needed to get in there since he was already dressed for the day. She’d see right through him like she always did.

“While this is all very thrilling, I have an appointment for my _real_ business.”

“Ugh, David, rub it in.” Alexis pouted at him. He’d feel guilty except it was her own damn fault she didn’t finish her diploma and had to _Billy Madison_ her way to high school graduation. “Bring me back a smoothie?”

He huffed out a breath. “Fine.”

“And David?”

“What?” He snapped, pausing with his hand on the doorknob.

“Good luck.”

One side of his mouth turned up a notch. “Thanks. Back in a while.”

He checked to make sure neither his parents or Stevie were lurking around outside before he quickly unlocked the door to the love room. He leaned against the door and let out a breath before digging out a box from under the bed. His body convulsed with shivers by the time he’d retrieved it and placed it on the bed.

David selected his warmest thermal long-sleeved shirt and quickly removed his sweater to put the thermal on over his undershirt. The extra layer helped somewhat, but not nearly enough. He walked into the mirror, ignoring the chattering of his teeth, to make sure the cheap thermal shirt couldn’t be seen outside the hem of his designer sweater. Cheap long johns from Amazon didn’t go with his Givenchy.

He rubbed his hands up and down his arms as fast as he could until the worst of the chill abated. Putting the box back, he quickly left the love room and speed-walked to Ray’s. The fast movement warmed him up better than any thermal underwear could, but hopefully the extra layer would keep the heat contained long enough to make it through his meeting without chattering teeth.

The stress of leasing the general store and having to deal with Canadian bureaucracy had ratcheted the effects of the curse from a seven to about a thirty. He hadn’t felt that frozen to the core since they’d landed in Schitt’s Creek last year. David Rose, the walking popsicle. Then again, he hadn’t been truly stressed since then. But he’d grown steadily cooler since learning his parents funded far more of his gallery than he’d realized, thanks to the resulting massive anxiety spiral. And risking his Blouse Barn money on his idea was the frozen cherry on top.

David approached the door to Ray’s office (house?) and read the little sign that said to enter without knocking. He walked in to find Ray snapping photos of a young couple. He waited for Ray to greet him, but Ray didn’t so much as glance at the bell that chimed as the door closed behind him. With anxiety fueled impatience getting the best of him, he walked over to interrupt Ray only to have Ray pass him off to some random?

“Patrick, your appointment is here,” Ray called. A cute guy walked around the corner and smiled. Particularly cute by Schitt’s Creek standards, despite his boring jeans and button-up.

“Hi, David Rose.” David held out his hand.

“Patrick Brewer.”

David grabbed Patrick’s outstretched hand and the rest of the world fell away as heat enveloped him. Warmth licked at his fingertips and raced up his arm, spreading throughout his body, even down to his toes. A shiver wracked him, but for the first time in fourteen years, it wasn’t from the ever-present cold he’d learned to live with. He stared down at their connected hands as his mind raced. How? The witch who’d cursed him made it clear he’d never feel warmth, but there stood an angel in a blue button-up telling the curse to fuck off with the heat of his body.

Patrick let go, and David might as well have been dunked in an ice bath for how jarring the difference was without Patrick’s touch. He wanted to sob. Wanted to scream. Wanted to rage at his mom for saddling him with that burden due to her callousness.

“How can I help you?” Patrick gestured for David to sit in front of the nearby desk as Patrick moved to sit behind it.

David used every trick he’d learned to hide his bone-deep chill from the rest of the world. “I, um, need to file incorporation paperwork.” It had to be a fluke. There was no way some Schitt’s Creek random had the ability to keep David’s ever-present cold at bay. Maybe he’d reached such a deep chill that his brain had tricked his body into feeling warmth.

“That works out great because I have some blank forms here.”

David managed a slight smile. If his world hadn’t just been flipped upside down, he’d find Patrick charming with his quickness to smile, friendly demeanor, and lingering glances.

Patrick asked David a series of questions and he barely managed answers. He should have made up an excuse and rescheduled until he could pull himself together, but how could he leave when he itched to touch Patrick’s skin? The wide hand sprawled over his mouth as he tried to cover a grin. The pale expanse of his neck. The curve of his cheeks. The V on his chest where his shirt was unbuttoned. He needed to know. Needed to see if the warmth had been real or his imagination.

“I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you take these home with you and just fill them out when you have a clearer idea of what you want to do with your business? Here’s my card. Call or text me when you’re ready.”

David prickled at Patrick’s insinuation he didn’t have a clear idea of his business. Couldn’t the guy tell David was having a fucking internal crisis? He’d strode into David’s life and turned it upside down. Excuse him for not being articulate.

“Uh, sure.” David managed to stand from the chair across from Patrick’s desk without stumbling. A fucking miracle. He paused and turned around, standing there like he was neck-deep in snow staring at a roaring fire through the window of a cabin he didn’t have a key to. “Thanks. I’ll, um, come back when these are filled out.” David held out a shaky hand.

Patrick wrapped his thick fingers around David’s and sweet heat radiated through David’s veins. A sigh escaped and he tried to cover it with a cough. He felt warmer than the time he’d cannonballed into the Hrunalaug hot springs. David never thought he’d feel true warmth again.

He already desperately missed it and he hadn’t even let go of Patrick yet.

* * *

“You okay?” Stevie stilled as she leaned across the bed to smooth the comforter.

“No. I’m not.” He dropped onto the edge of the bed.

“Excuse you. I just smoothed that out.”

He looked up at her and, judging by the way her eyes rounded, he must look wrecked. “I felt warm.”

She rolled her eyes. “How many of those long johns do you have on?”

David hissed. “When I share embarrassing things in drunken confidence, it’s rude to repeat them.”

“It’s not like you threw up in front of your entire high school or something. They’re literally shirts, David. Stop being an idiot.” She pushed him off the bed.

David waved his hands. “No, _real_ warmth. Pre-curse warmth.”

She stopped stuffing a pillow in a sham. “What happened?”

David gave her a complete run-down of meeting Patrick. By the end, they sat next to each other on the disgusting carpet at the foot of the bed.

“Wow.”

“I know.”

“Maybe he has the opposite curse as you. Like he runs really hot and you balance each other out?” She tugged the sleeves of her flannel down.

David snorted. “The guy wore a light blue button-up. If he ran that hot internally, he’d surely sweat through that shirt.”

“A fluke?”

Biting the inside of his cheek, David shrugged. “I felt it both times we shook hands. It was as strong the second time.”

Stevie knocked her knee against his and leaned her head against his shoulder. “What if he can help you break the curse?”

“I’m scared to hope,” he whispered. “I don’t think there’s a way to break it.”

“I know, but you gotta test it again. Why don’t you fill out the forms and take them back. Shake his hand again.”

“I don’t think I have a choice.” With warmth within his grasp, he couldn’t stay away even if he wanted to.

* * *

“David. Welcome back.” Patrick’s smile carried the same warmth as his touch. “Settle on a name?”

“Rose Apothecary.” David said the name with as much confidence as he could muster.

Patrick’s huge eyes twinkled. “I like it. It’s just pretentious enough.”

That startled a laugh from David. “Would we call that pretentious or timeless?”

The sides of Patrick’s mouth turned down into a smile that had no right being so cute.

David sucked in a deep breath as he handed Patrick the papers, making sure to brush his fingers across Patrick’s hands. Heat. Pure, sweet, heat.

Five minutes later and a promise that the business license would be ready in a week or two, David found himself standing in the middle of his store to hide from the late autumn rain, trying to figure out how to see Patrick again before then. He pulled out his phone to text Stevie. 

Still there  
  
Fuck  
  
I know  
  
I found a joint in room 4. My place tonight?  
  
I’ll bring wine and pizza  
  
I’ll have my warmestblankets ready  
  
Thank you. That’s surprisingly generous  
  
But they’re not clean [shrug emoji]  
  
And there she is  
  



	2. Chapter 2

“If you’re not going to actually help, can you please loiter somewhere else?” David snatched the lip balm from Alexis’s manicured kleptomaniac fingers.

“Maybe if you find a reasonable task for me, I’d help.” Alexis pulled jars of foot cream from a box.

David sighed and marched over to take the box from her hands. “I already told you, these go in the back.”

“You can’t expect me to do manual labor in my Gucci’s, David!”

“I _literally_ told you the only thing that needs done is unpacking things.” David tried to bite back his annoyance, but he couldn’t help it. He was extra cold and she was extra annoying. Since meeting Patrick, David had been colder than usual every day and it worked his last nerve. “Just go. I don’t have time to babysit you,” he called over his shoulder as he walked into the stockroom. He grouped some of the boxes by product family so he could calm down and avoid Alexis for a little while longer. If she’d actually help, he could get so much more done. Or Stevie, but she was almost as bad as Alexis. Someone. Anyone to help him make progress.

Voices in the main room caught David’s attention. He poked his head through the doorway and found Patrick holding—shaking?—Alexis’s hand. Patrick was even cuter than the memory he’d returned to countless times since they’d met. Seeing them talking, two attractive people, spurred dark thoughts. If Alexis married Patrick, maybe he’d get to be the odd touchy-feely brother-in-law so he could get moments of warmth occasionally. Jesus. He needed to get laid. Or therapy. Probably both. Definitely both.

“How come you haven’t introduced me to this button, David?” Alexis eyes widened in that annoyingly knowing way.

Patrick dropped Alexis’s hand and turned around, smiling widely at him. “Hi, David.”

“Hey, Patrick. What, um, brings you by?” He clasped his hands together in front of himself in an effort to not run over and wrap them around Patrick’s shoulders. He knew it was in his head, but he swore he could see heatwaves radiating off him.

Patrick retrieved a padded envelope from under his arm and held it up. “Your license arrived. In the eyes of the Canadian government, you’re legit now.”

David’s eyes widened as he watched Patrick walk the envelope over. “Oh.” He reached out to accept it and intentionally let his fingers brush Patrick’s hand. David sucked in a breath as his body immediately heated like he’d been plugged into a space heater.

“You okay?” Patrick looked up at him with his wide eyes and eyebrows downturned.

“Yeah. Just, uh, super excited about this.” He tried for a smile as he held up the envelope. Risking a glance at Alexis, he found her frowning at him. Shit. He opened the heavy envelope and pulled out a silver frame. He fought back tears as he read the paperwork stating his was business real. Official. Patrick studied him, smiling softly. “Thank you, Patrick.”

“You’re welcome, David.” He clapped his hand on David’s shoulder and damn if he didn’t lean into the touch. It felt like Patrick’s hand branded his skin. “This is exciting.” When Patrick pulled his hand back, David whimpered at the loss and cleared his throat to try to cover it.

“It is. About half of the products are here, so I’m trying to organize things before I start merchandising.”

“We’ve been working hard!”

David glared at his sister. “I’d say _we_ except all you’ve done is complain and try to steal lip balm.”

“It’s not stealing when you’re family.” Alexis lifted herself up to sit on the table.

David threw up his hands. “It’s even worse when you’re stealing from family.”

Patrick grinned as his attention bounced back and forth between them.

When the sibling bickering subsided, David returned his attention to Patrick. “Thanks again for bringing this by.” Could he get away with hugging Patrick without seeming like a weird ass creeper with boundary issues? Probably not.

“Want any help? I don’t have any appointments the rest of the afternoon. Having another set of hands might help you get done faster.”

David shot a pointed glare at his sister, then smiled at Patrick. “An extra set of hands _actually_ helping me would be much appreciated. Thank you.”

“Isn’t that nice, David?” Alexis blinked both eyes at him.

“So nice,” he snipped back at her, but it was actually really nice. Patrick was really nice. Too nice. And warm. So warm. Cozy. Sexy.

Okay, simmer down.

Over the next couple of hours, Patrick moved boxes under David’s direction. As Patrick’s body warmed with exertion, David couldn’t help but touch Patrick more and more. A hand on the shoulder to stabilize himself as he reached above Patrick. A quick press against the waist as he passed to go in the stockroom. A brush of hands while passing a box. After about a half dozen of the touches, David realized he wasn’t the only one affected by it. Patrick’s breath hitched when David touched his waist, and his ears turned pink when David brushed invisible dust off Patrick’s shoulder.

When they reached a good stopping point for the day, David couldn’t reasonably extend their work any longer. He needed to stop and think through his next step, but the thought of watching Patrick walk away from him sounded as appealing as eating rotting pickled eggs. Aside from Patrick’s physical warmth, there was a different kind of warmth filling the space, and David could see himself growing addicted to that too.

“Thank you so much for your help, Patrick. This puts me in a really good place to start displaying product tomorrow.”

“Happy to help.” That was the shocking thing. He genuinely did look happy to help. Either he was the kindest of Canadian stock or Patrick wanted to be around him. He’d assume Patrick had wanted to stick around for Alexis, but Patrick had barely paid any attention to her beyond politely responding when she talked to him or asked him questions.

He caught Alexis smirking out of the corner of his eye. She would be so insufferable later. Judging by the darkness outside, it was nearing dinnertime. If Alexis was already going to be a pain in his ass, he might as well get the most benefit for his impending suffering. “Do you accept food as payment for your labor? I could pay you in moderately edible dinner from Café Tropical.”

Patrick’s eyes widened for a moment then his smile grew. “That’s an acceptable form of payment. Want to go now?”

David nodded and bit his lips between his teeth.

“You two have fun. I told Ted I’d come over for dinner.” She double blinked at him. He knew Alexis had no such plans. Okay, so maybe she wouldn’t be _entirely_ insufferable later. “So nice to meet you, Patrick. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you more.” She said the last looking at David. Jesus, be any more obvious?

“Nice to meet you too, Alexis.” Patrick smiled politely, but it didn’t hold the warmth of the smiles he gave David. “Mind if I pop in the restroom before we go?”

“Go for it. I’ve got to put a couple things away.” Neither he or Alexis moved until the bathroom door lock echoed through the silent space.

“David! He’s _cute._ ”

“Shh! Sound travels in here,” he hissed as he walked closer to her.

“You’ve got a date with that little button. Good for you.” She booped his nose.

David weighed the pros and cons of asking Alexis about Patrick’s warmth. He didn’t want her asking about how cold he’d been lately, but he had to get external validation. “Um, Alexis? When you shook Patrick’s hand, did you notice that he was extra warm or anything?”

Alexis frowned for a moment then her forehead smoothed and her eyes widened. “David, is he warm to you?” She looked as shocked as he felt after initially meeting him. All he could do was nod and fight back tears as the soft understanding on his sister’s face. “That’s big.” For as much of a pain in the ass Alexis often was, she’d tried to help with his curse in her own ways. Keeping extra blankets in her room for when they’d stay up late talking, using her nefarious contacts to try to track down a counter-curse, coming back from Elmdale with a space heater when the cold weather hit last year.

“I know,” he whispered, looking up to the ceiling.

“You have to tell him.”

“I barely know him! What am I supposed to say. _Hi, my mom pissed off a witch and got me cursed to feel coldness for the rest of my life. But then you showed up and I feel warm when I touch you. Sorry if this sounds clingy, but could I touch you forever?”_

Alexis grimaced. “Yeah, that’s not going to work.”

“Tell me about it.” The toilet flushed.

“David, I’ve been watching you two for hours and there’s something there. Forget about the warmth and explore it. Maybe this will sort itself out. Like soulmates or something.” She shrugged as though she hadn’t dropped a bomb.

David rolled his eyes at his sister’s ridiculous suggestion and her unnerving insight. “It’s a curse, not a soulmate thing.”

“Just give it a chance, okay? Don’t do the thing you usually do.” She hopped off the table and straightened her dress.

“What thing?” The bathroom door opened.

Alexis tugged on her coat, then leaned in. “Sabotage yourself.”

He bared his teeth at her and watched her flounce out of his store. Sisters were the goddamn worst.

“Ready?” Patrick pulled his coat on.

“Mmhmm. Yup.” David retrieved his own coat and snagged his phone and keys from the counter, then walked over to the restaurant with Patrick.


	3. Chapter 3

Having David’s undivided attention in a restaurant booth had Patrick’s gut swirling more than all his casual touches throughout the afternoon. It felt like he had brands on his skin in every place David had touched. Arms, shoulders, waist, back. He craved more of it, but as lingering caresses, not casual ones.

Since David Rose had walked into Ray’s, he’d been screwed. His thoughts wandered back to David an embarrassing number of times each day. His afternoon spent in Rose Apothecary was the first time he’d felt settled since arriving in Schitt’s Creek weeks ago. It wasn’t just David’s presence, but the space. Something about being there felt right to him. The business, the products, the potential for being a hub for the community.

“But you’re wrong.”

“Disagreeing with someone doesn’t make them wrong, David.” Patrick clamped down his smile.

“It does when said person is suggesting that BBQ sauce makes a sufficient pizza base. That’s simply incorrect.”

If Patrick wasn’t careful, poking at David Rose would become his new favorite hobby. “It sounds to me like you’re afraid to try new things.”

“I’ll have you know I am not afraid to try to new things.”

Patrick had to keep goading him to see what facial expressions he could get. Cataloging David’s facial expressions was like learning a new language. “Oh? Like what?”

David unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap. He then took a long sip of his wine.

“You’re awfully quiet over there.”

“I’m thinking.”

“So many options to choose from you have to narrow them down?” He tried for an innocent expression.

David arched an eyebrow. “Exactly. So many.”

Patrick leaned back against the booth to watch David squirm.

“I tried an IPA at the Wobbly Elm last weekend.”

He couldn’t imagine David enjoying that. “How was it?”

“Disgusting.” He made a sour face. “It was too bitter.”

“There are plenty that aren’t bitter. Gotta find the right one.”

David rested his wrist on the table. “Sounds like you are going to have to prove to me there are decent IPAs and BBQ sauce pizzas out there.”

Patrick’s pulse kicked up. “Sounds like it.” He smiled shyly at David. He wanted to say, _when? Let’s set a date! How about tomorrow?_ But he defaulted to his usual earnestness. “I think there’s something you’re forgetting.”

David tilted his head and frowned slightly.

“You’re opening a business. That’s trying something new.”

David’s gaze dropped down to his hand as he twirled the glass. Patrick wanted to take the words back at David’s obvious discomfort. “It’s not as new as you might expect,” David said quietly.

“What do you mean?” Curiosity got the better of him.

David looked over at the counter. “Um, I used to run an art gallery in New York. I found out recently that my parents basically bought my patrons. So, this isn’t new. Starting a business I mean.” He inhaled a shaky breath. “I’m not great at the business side of things, I guess, because I didn’t notice it was happening.”

Patrick reached out and put his hand on top of David’s. He seemed to get reassurance through touch, and Patrick was happy to oblige. David’s shoulders visibly relaxed, and he let out a quick sigh, then cleared his throat as he glanced at Patrick. “David, this isn’t your gallery. That’s not going to happen again.” He squeezed David’s hand then pulled back. David’s fingers stretched forward for a moment like he was reaching for Patrick.

“I suppose.”

“Your parents aren’t involved in this at all, right?”

David shook his head.

“Did you come up with the money yourself?”

David nodded.

“It’s going to be different this time.”

“What if I can’t do it? The business side.”

An idea bloomed in Patrick’s mind and he began talking before it fully formed. David seemed to have that affect on him after the few hours they’d spent together. “I can help.”

David’s eyes sharpened. “You can help?”

Patrick’s mind raced as the idea took shape. “Business paperwork isn’t all I do. I can help with budgeting and setting up accounting systems. Maybe even applying for grants if you need more funding.”

“Is that part of your services at Ray’s?”

It was Patrick’s turn to look down at his hands. “Not exactly.”

“What are you saying?”

Patrick took a deep breath. Might as well go for home. “Once I get Ray caught up on things he’d fallen behind on, he’ll probably only have enough work to keep me on part time. I was thinking.” He scratched his thumbnail against the napkin wrapper. It was too soon. Stupid. Reckless. “Maybe I could help you out. I really like your idea, David.” Never in his life had he been so spontaneous. Trying to push his way into the life of someone he barely knew, but there was something about David that had him wanting to throw caution to the wind and throw out his methodical instincts.

“What do you mean by helping me out?” His voice was barely a whisper.

“I could apply for grants to give you more start-up money, and if you get some, maybe you could pay me to set up an accounting system for you. Something manageable that you can manage on your own.”

“I don’t want to do that part at all,” David said on a sigh.

“Then I could help with that too?”

“You’d do that?” David eyed him, and Patrick let him look for whatever validation he needed.

“Yeah, I would.” A great business and a fascinating guy? Why wouldn’t he want to be a part of it.

“Yes. Okay, yes.” David nodded and smiled softly.

“Okay, great.”

“Yup. Great.”

Great. Really great. He couldn’t wait.


	4. Chapter 4

David stacked his pillows against his headboard and settled in to watch _Project Runway_ with Alexis. He snuggled further into his warmest sweater and tucked his blanket up around his neck.

“That’s hideous.” Alexis turned her nose up at the TV.

“I wouldn’t be caught dead in something like that.” David tried to focus on the show and respond to Alexis’s comments, but his mind kept wandering to Patrick. Wondering what Patrick was doing, if he was relaxing for the evening and watching TV too or maybe doing something sporty. How did Patrick spend his evenings? Did he have friends to hang out with or did he play video games? Maybe he was a reader? For as much time as they’d spent together in the store over the past week, there was so much more David wanted to know about the man who’d suddenly and completely turned David’s life upside down. He picked up his phone to text Patrick.

I can’t decide about the sweaters.  
  


He smiled to himself when he saw the three dots bouncing immediately.

I thought you’d decided hours ago.  
  
I’d decided I was leaning in a specific direction.  
  
What’s stopping you from committing one way or another?  
  
What if they don’t sell? What if including clothes is a bad idea? What if people start expecting more clothes and it overshadows everything else in the store and it becomes Blouse Barn part deux?  
  
Those are fair concerns. What if you made them a seasonal item? You could have 1-2 clothing items per season and people would learn to expect that to rotate and then you wouldn’t have to worry about people demanding more and Rose Apothecary turning into a clothing store.  


David leaned his head back against the wall and smiled to himself. Patrick seemed to have a knack for calming David down and bringing the right amount of logic to his own anxiety.

How do you do that?  
  
Do what?  
  
Know just what to say  
  
Instinct I guess  
  
Are you saying you have a natural instinct to soothe my overthinking?  
  
Is that what I do?  
  
TBH yeah  
  
I’m really glad  
  
Me too  
  
Do you feel better?  
  
Yeah. Thanks Patrick  
  
You’re welcome  
  
And, it’s we  
  
?  
  
We could rotate clothing items seasonally. You’re in this too, ya know  
  
:)  
  
I’ve got to do some vendor runs tomorrow so I won’t be at the store most of the day  
  
Want company?  
  
I’d really like that  
  
Great, I’m sure Ray will really enjoy a field trip  
  
RUDE  
  
Did you have someone else in mind?  
  
Roland?  
  
I *was* going to offer to bring you a tea when I picked you up, but now I don’t think you deserve it for this sass  
  
OH you were thinking me? Well why didn’t you say so  
  
You are the literal worst  
  
You love it  


He did. He really did.

The fact that my business partner thinks that I need to be teased mercilessly to stay humble? Sure. I love it.  
  
Your what? Business partner? Aww David  
  
Did I say business partner? Pretty sure I said business guy  
  
Oh? Business guy?  
  
Yeah, you know, a guy who’s helping with business stuff  
  
Mmhmm  
  
Fine. Patrick?  
  
Yes, David?  
  
Will you be my business partner?  
  
Does this come with business cards or  
  
Patrick Brewer, Chief Pain In My Ass  
  
Rose Brewer Apothecary?  
  
Okay, simmer down  
  
Does this mean I get to have opinions about the store’s aesthetics? I was thinking a mint chocolate painted wall  
  
TOO FAR  
  
Hey David?  
  
Sigh. Yes, Patrick?  
  
I’d love to be your business partner :)  
  
Okay :)  
  


Once David put his phone away, he realized he had spent nearly as much time texting Patrick the past week as seeing him in person. Because he just wanted to talk to him. Even if that meant texting from different locations. Somehow, the simple act of texting with Patrick warmed David’s heart as much as Patrick’s touch warmed his body.


	5. Chapter 5

“She’s flirting with you.”

Patrick startled at David’s words. About sixty percent from David’s breath on his neck as he leaned in and spoke the words into his ear and forty percent from the awkward possibility of the winery employee actually flirting with him.

Patrick collected their wine glasses. “Shall we sit and taste test?” He didn’t want to spend any more time in the woman’s flirting range than he needed to. She wasn’t who he wanted to be flirting with him, and if he were being honest with himself, he didn’t like David’s playful eyes as he pointed out the flirting. He thought they’d been flirting with _each other_ the past couple of weeks. Pretty heavily, actually.

David arched one of his eyebrows. Patrick seriously loved his expressive eyebrows. “Sure.”

Maybe all he needed to do was say to David _I don’t want to flirt with her. I want to flirt with you. How do you feel about that?_ That’s what an emotionally functional adult would do, right? But Patrick wasn’t that brave or functional. Not yet, anyway, but he could sense he was working toward it.

They settled at an empty table far from the counter. Patrick shrugged off his puffy coat and slid it over the back of his chair, then sat down to enjoy wine tasting with David.

David picked up one of the glasses. “Mm, this is a good one.”

Patrick picked up his glass with the same red. He wasn’t much of a wine drinker and probably wouldn’t have anything relevant to contribute, but spending a day taste testing wine and food vendors with David sounded like the best way to spend his Saturday. “It is.” It tasted good enough and not too dry.

“This would pair well with that dill havarti from Warner farms.”

“I think everything would pair well with that.”

David laughed. “You’re not wrong.”

The woman walked over to their table. “Here’s a bowl of spiced nuts. Can I get you anything else?” After David commented about the flirting, Patrick noticed the woman’s attention stayed more on him. Which was ridiculous. Who would want to look at anyone else when David was there? Patrick had a hard time focusing on the road when they drove because he wanted to keep looking at David.

“No, thank you.” Patrick looked at her briefly. Just enough to be polite. He caught David looking between them with a slight frown, like he was trying to puzzle something out. Patrick’s stomach dropped. Did David think he was in a relationship or straight or something? Damn, that was it, wasn’t it? David had no reason to think Patrick liked men, and why would he? He probably thought Patrick was simply being friendly to him.

David eyed him over the glass as he took another sip when the woman walked away. “You’re not flirting back. With her.”

Patrick sat straighter in the wrought iron chair. “I’m not.” He studied David’s guarded body language and slight frown. He may not be brave enough to tell David about his rapidly growing feelings for his business partner, but he could open a window. A door. French doors. A garage door. “She seems nice enough, but I’m gay, so.”

David’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the stem of the wine glass. “Oh? That’s, um, thanks. For, uh, sharing that with me.” David’s free hand did its usual waving in the air thing. “Um, I identify as pansexual.”

Okay, so they both liked men, and hopefully, hopefully, hopefully liked each other. “Thanks for sharing that with me, David.”

One side of David’s mouth turned up as he nodded. “Not much of a queer scene in these parts.”

Patrick twisted his glass from the base. “To be honest, I haven’t explored that since I moved here a couple months ago.”

“No? Haven’t sifted through the half dozen decent queer men on Bumpkin or ventured over to the Dude Cave?”

“The what cave?”

David’s dimples deepened with his grin. “A strip club with male dancers.”

Patrick didn’t need a mirror to know he was blushing pretty hard. “Can’t say that I’ve entered The Dude Cave.”

“You’re not missing much. It’s mostly filled with women woo’ing too loudly and men who learned their dancing skills from watching Magic Mike instead of an actual dance tutorial.”

He had to blink away the mental image of David dancing up on stage with a pole and flashing lights. “I think I’ll give it a pass.”

David took another sip of wine, and Patrick thought about reaching out to kiss the stubble at his neck. Now that David knew he was gay, the urge to touch David clawed at him even more.

“How was the queer scene where you moved from?”

Patrick couldn’t help but smile at the casual way David talked to Patrick about a queer scene because Patrick was a queer person who could talk about queer things. Huh. “Honestly? I’m not sure. This has been a recent revelation for me, and I moved away pretty quickly after the discovery.” He looked down at his fingers on the glass. “I haven’t ventured out yet. Busy with some life changes and the move and settling here and work and—“ obsessing over David. He shrugged.

David’s expressive eyes widened. “Sounds like you’ve had a pretty big year.”

Patrick barked out a sharp laugh. “You could say that. I broke up with my high school sweetheart, came out, decided to leave my hometown, came across the job with Ray and moved here on a whim, met you, and here we are.” He stopped himself before he overshared. He didn’t realize until David’s hand grasped his forearm that his leg was bouncing rapidly under the table. David’s touched soothed him instantly.

“Are you okay? That’s a lot in a short time.”

He stilled his leg and swallowed the lump in his throat. In that moment he realized he hadn’t truly talked to anyone about the upheaval in his life. He’d talked over some parts with Rachel and some parts with his parents and some with other friends, but not a true conversation about how everything fit together. Patrick wanted nothing more than to open up to David about it all, but the prospect of it terrified him. Though if he’d learned one thing the past year, it was how to trust his gut and his gut told him to trust David. If he really wanted to see if there was something between them, he needed to know if they could talk about serious things with the same ease as the other things they talked about.

“Most of the time I’m okay, but sometimes it’s… a lot.” Even saying something as simple as that had him exhaling a shaky breath. “It’s weird to look back on things with this new perspective.”

“Good perspective or yikes perspective?” David finished off one glass and shook some nuts from the bowl into his hand. He held out the bowl and Patrick cupped his hand.

“Thanks. Uh, mostly yikes I think? Especially with my ex, um, fianceé.”

David’s eyes flashed for a moment, but he seemed to school his reaction. “You were engaged to your high school sweetheart?”

Shame burned in Patrick’s stomach. “Yes, and it was a mistake. I stuck around for too long because I wanted her to be happy. I wanted _us_ to be happy. I knew something was off, but I didn’t know what it was so I never said anything. I was too scared to say that it didn’t feel right. We, um, we broke up a lot and just fell back into it out of ease, I think.”

David slowly chewed the nuts and stayed silent. Patrick figured he’d continue since the floodgates were open. “I realize now that we never really fought for each other. I think we spent most of our relationship together because it was comfortable. Now I know it’s because I didn’t feel for her as I should. She was more like my best friend than my partner.”

“That must have been really hard.” David’s tone was sympathetic and caring.

“It was, but it worked out for the best. She’s free to find someone to love her as she deserves.”

“And so are you,” David said, smiling softly.

“So am I.” Patrick finished his glass and moved to the next sample. “How about you?” He left the question vague enough for David to respond with whatever he was comfortable sharing.

“No former betrotheds in my sordid past. No one’s stuck around long enough for that to even be a remote possibility.” David huffed a half laugh. “I’m not exactly a relationship person.”

Patrick’s stomach soured. He couldn’t tell if it was because David didn’t _want_ to do relationships or because he hadn’t met anyone he liked enough for that. Patrick wanted to ask specifics to try to assess what kind of shot he’d have, but the way David’s open body language had closed off with curled shoulders and arms across his body.

The winery owner came over to talk to them and broke the moment before Patrick could tell David he seemed like he’d be a great relationship person with the right partner. Someone like Patrick.


	6. Chapter 6

Patrick lifted the bag up as he walked into the store. _Their_ store. “The food doesn’t smell too terrible today.”

David stopped applying labels to the bottles and turned toward Patrick, damn near taking his breath away. Surely exposure therapy would desensitize him to David’s presence eventually, right? “Such great standards we have.”

Patrick grinned at him as he carried their sandwiches to the storeroom. He unpacked their food and took his container over to the loveseat and sat down. David followed a moment later and sat next to him. _Really_ close. It wasn’t like the loveseat left a lot of space, but their bodies touched from knee to shoulder. The contact completely distracted Patrick. Did it mean something? Was David trying to get Patrick to make a move? He couldn’t just turn and kiss him out of the blue, but there had to be a way he could break the ice somehow.

Things had shifted between them since their conversation at the winery. David had remained just as tactile, but he had opened up even more. Mostly over text in the evenings, like he needed the physical distance to allow the emotional closeness. Patrick didn’t mind as long as it meant David felt comfortable opening up to him. He’d learned more about David’s former life and how his strained family dynamic had improved in Schitt’s Creek and his hopes and fears for the store and so many things that Patrick was honored to be trusted with. And he wanted more. So much more from David Rose. With each day, he grew increasingly confident that he and David were right for each other.

David moaned as he chewed the seasoned fries. “I’m so hungry.”

“Easy to work up an appetite applying all those labels.”

“Mm. I know. So strenuous.” David reached for the soda Patrick had brought him and elbowed Patrick as he brought it to his mouth. “Sorry.”

“No worries. Bound to happen when we’re basically glued at the hip.” He knocked his shoulder against David’s, hoping to maybe open up a conversation about… them.

David scrambled away from him and moved to get up. “Sorry, I’m crowding you.”

Dammit! No! That’s not what he wanted. He reached out and grabbed David’s forearm. “David, wait. I’m teasing.” He watched David lean into it. He always leaned into Patrick’s touch.

David stayed on the couch, but shifted as far from Patrick as he could. He haphazardly sat his sandwich container on the floor and worried the hem of his sleeves as his eyes darted all over the room.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Patrick had experienced enough of David’s panic moments as they set up the store to recognize the signs.

“Nothing.”

Patrick sat his own lunch on the floor and angled his body toward David. “I’ve gotten to know you pretty well I’d like to think. Obviously there’s something. Talk to me?” He hated seeing David so stressed.

David glanced at him. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” He looked more uncertain than Patrick had seen before. Around most townies, David portrayed himself as assured and confident and immune to everything, but he’d let Patrick see the soft uncertainty underneath the monochromatic cashmere veneer.

“Try me.” David studied him with an intensity that left Patrick squirming. He kept his body language open and expression neutral as David looked at him. David nodded once and seemed to decide something. Patrick ached for David to open up to him.

“I’m scared that if I tell you this, you won’t believe me and you’ll leave m- the business.” He cleared his throat.

“David, nothing will make me leave _you_ or the business,” he said the words pointedly.

David closed his eyes and nodded. “I trust you.”

Those three simple words squeezed his heart. He knew, _knew_ David didn’t throw them around lightly. David’s trust was a gift he’d treasure. Patrick fought the urge to pull David against his chest as silently waited for David to speak. He had no idea what to expect, but obviously it was big to David.

“I’m cursed.”

Patrick blinked at him. “You’re cursed? Like bad luck?”

David leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “I wish. No, I’m legitimately cursed. Like, from a witch.”

He wanted to say _witches aren’t real, David_ , but that then he’d just close up and not trust Patrick any longer. “What’s the curse?”

David turned his head and looked at Patrick. In that moment he looked tired. Defeated. His usually dewy skin almost ashen. “When I was a teenager, my mom was researching for a stupid storyline on _Sunrise Bay_ and went to visit a woman who claimed to be a witch. My mom brought me along because it was during a phase she wanted me to get into acting. My mom ran her mouth and pissed a woman off. Turned out the woman actually was a witch and she cursed us to feel coldness forever.”

Setting aside how absolutely bananas that sounded, Patrick focused on asking detailed questions. “Your mom has it too?”

David shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

Patrick wanted to ask how he wouldn’t know, but he left it in favor of more pressing questions. “What do you mean by coldness?”

David lifted his left hand and stared at it like it alone shouldered all responsibility for the world’s suffering. “I basically feel like I’m in an ice bath all of the time.”

Patrick let out a harsh breath. Jesus. “All the time?”

David glanced at him with an unreadable expression. “Um, it varies. But, not all the time.”

“What do you mean?” Something tugged at Patrick’s gut. An thought hovering at the edges of his consciousness, but out of reach.

“Stress makes me colder. When I’m anxious or having a panic attack, I feel like a popsicle.”

“That sounds awful.” Especially considering how often David was stressed and anxious. “Does anything make you feel warmer?” Was he seriously believing this? David wasn’t the kind of person to make something like that up. He’d teased Stevie for two days when she’d refused to walk under a ladder for crying out loud.

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this.” David dropped his face in his hands.

Patrick wanted to reach out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but something told him not to. “David, please tell me,” he said barely above a whisper.

David dropped his hands and looked at Patrick with the most raw and pained expression he’d ever seen. “You. You make me feel warmer. You’re like my personal space heater.”

Patrick’s heart thudded in his chest as he searched David’s face for any hint of teasing, but all he found was resigned sincerity. “You’re saying—“

“That for some reason, you’re the one person I’ve met who makes me feel like I did before the curse. I don’t know why and I don’t know how, but when we touch, I feel… normal.”

He had the ability to make David feel warm? All the casual touches and the thousand ways David’s hands found Patrick’s body in passing. It all made sense. But did that mean the only reason David touched him was for that? It couldn’t be though. If it was just Patrick’s warmth, David wouldn’t act so vulnerable with him. Hell, David could seduce Patrick’s pants off in half a minute if he put his mind to it. If David wanted Patrick’s skin, he’d surely have been more assertive by now. The way David acted with him was like he actually wanted Patrick in his life. Patrick cleared his throat. “Is it skin-to-skin or touching me in any way?”

“In any way, but I feel warmer when my skin touches your skin.”

“So when you sit close to me on the couch and our legs touch?”

“It sort of feels like I’ve got a warm blanket on me.”

“And if my hand touches your hand.”

David let out a breath. “Like a hot shower on a cold morning.”

Patrick swallowed. “David, can I touch you?”

David studied him for a moment. “You’re not freaked out?”

“I don’t understand it, and I have about a million questions, but you just told me you’re cold all the time but for some reason I can help take that feeling away. So, David, can I touch you?”

Holding out a shaking hand, David nodded. Patrick gently wrapped both of his own hands around David’s and rested them on David’s leg for multiple points of contact. If Patrick had any doubts about David’s story, the breathy sob David let out at their contact and the tears running down his cheeks would have washed the doubts away. David collapsed against Patrick’s shoulder and leaned his head against Patrick’s neck.

Patrick had no idea how long they sat that way. Their food had long gone cold and the natural light in the room shifted. His mind raced as he considered how he could research the curse and maybe find a cure. Anything to help David.

Eventually, David lifted his head. “Thank you, Patrick.”

“Hey, it’s nothing.”

David looked at him, his face close enough for Patrick to feel his warm breath. “It’s not nothing. I haven’t felt this warm in fourteen years.”

Patrick felt a tear fall down his own cheek. He couldn’t imagine living with something like that, but David had. He’d lived with the curse, lived with a family who had barely been there for him for most of his life, lived through the ultimate betrayal of someone who had been like an uncle to him, started over in the middle of nowhere, and moved beyond his parent’s meddling in his business. And there he was. Pushing forward, coping, being brave, trying new things, building a life in a new place, all while feeling cold from the inside out. If Patrick could find a tenth of David’s bravery within himself, he’d, well, probably tell David how he felt about him.

“David, you can touch me whenever you’d like. Seriously. I want to help you. Here, outside of work you can call me, middle of the night even. I want to be there for you.” David inhaled like he was preparing a protest, and Patrick squeezed his hand. “It’s an easy thing for me to give, okay?”

David had begun shaking his head before Patrick got the words out. “I appreciate it, but I can’t do that. You don’t owe me anything. This curse isn’t your problem, and I’m not about to force you to keep me warm.”

But what if he wanted to? He wanted to say it, but he could see David’s walls going back up already. The self-defenses he’d sharply honed over decades of mistreatment and neglect. He’d show David that he truly wanted to be there and that David could rely on him. He’d do whatever it took.


	7. Chapter 7

“How’s it going over here? Need a break?” David sidled up next to his business partner and ignored the throng of people in the store for a moment. Patrick immediately pressed a reassuring hand to David’s back and the warmth heated up his insides as the gesture warmed his heart.

Since he’d opened up about about the curse last week, Patrick touched him even more. He was thisclose to telling him to stop because it messed with his head and his heart, but he was addicted to the brief breaks in his constant coolness. David had only shared his curse with a few people, and Patrick had taken it in complete stride. Yet another way he’d surprised David.

“Nope, I’m doing good. You okay?”

David nodded. He was great, actually. Opening day was booming. Though he hated to admit Patrick was right (and he really did because Patrick was a champion gloater), a hard launch had been a great call. The crowd had been constant all day and the media coverage would be great for the store. “Yeah, doing great. I’m going to send Stevie to the cafe to get us lunch. Your usual?”

Patrick’s expression softened. “Yes, please. Thank you.”

David squeezed his shoulder. “Of course. Flag me down if you want me to take over.”

Patrick nodded. “Actually, we’re running low on the mistletoe bundles. Is there more in the back?” He gestured to the nearly empty basket on the counter.”

“I’ll check.” David pressed his palm to Patrick’s waist as he slid by him to check the storeroom. He allowed himself seven seconds to think about getting caught under the mistletoe with Patrick before getting back to work.

The crowd wound down as they inched toward closing time. They’d run out of refreshments a couple of hours ago and most of the town had already been by, but he couldn’t stop smiling. It would be a bitch to restock, but that was a great problem to have.

“You’re sure happy.”

David flared his nostril’s as Stevie’s sudden reappearance. “Should I not be happy on the opening day of our business?”

“ _Our_ business. That rolls right off your tongue.” She smirked up at him.

He glanced over at Patrick and they locked eyes before Patrick returned his attention to Ray. “Should it not? It literally is our business. We have a contract.”

“Sexy.”

David rolled his eyes. “Stop it.” He began collecting the trash the townie heathens left strewn around their store.

“It’s good to see you happy. You’re definitely in your element.”

He cleared his throat. “Well, that’s nice of you. Thank you.”

She picked up a few used plastic wine glasses and dumped them in the trash bag he held. “I couldn’t help but notice that you guys touch a lot. He doesn’t seem to mind the curse thing.”

“I’m continuously surprised by how he handles all the shit I throw in his direction, to be honest. It’s like he’s developed a sixth sense of when I’m at my coldest and he just… touches me.”

“When are you going to ask him out?”

David shook his head. “I’m not going to rock the boat. Not yet. Things are going great at the store and we’re in a groove.” And he was a giant wuss. “I- I don’t want to scare him off.”

She snorted. “Did you ever stop to think that by not asking him out, you might scare him off? He’s not a mind reader.”

“I don’t need this kind of harassment from you on the most exciting day of my professional life.”

Stevie sighed. “Fine, fine. But think about this. If it’s warm when he touches your hand, just think about how warm it would be if he stuck his di—“

“Hey, Stevie. Thanks for coming by.”

David jumped at Patrick’s voice. Of course, Patrick put a hand on David’s shoulder.

“You okay?”

David nodded and absently waved a hand. “Yup. Doing great. What does Ray think about the store?”

Patrick laughed. “What doesn’t he think about it? I got about ten minutes of his thorough assessment. Overall, he’s quite pleased, but he thinks there’s a market for his volcano mouse pads.”

“Nope. No way. Absolutely not.”

“Don’t worry, I let him down gently.”

David exhaled and leaned into Patrick’s grip on his shoulder. “You’re a saint.” He caught Stevie looking between them. Patrick seemed to also, but did nothing but blush a little. David was eternally grateful for the warmth and steadiness of Patrick’s presence.

“I’m going to get out of here before you ask me to help clean-up. Congratulations, you two. The store is great.” She offered the most sincere smile David had seen on her.

He reached out and pulled her into a hug before he could talk himself out of it. “Thanks,” he whispered.

“Ask him out, you dumbass,” she whispered in his ear.

“Kiss my ass,” he whispered back, then straightened. “Best wishes.”

“Warmest regards,” she called as she left the store.

A young couple entered the store a moment later. David offered Patrick a quick smile then went to greet the new customers.


	8. Chapter 8

After working together for weeks, Patrick still felt the same hum of anticipation in his gut as he finished his morning tasks and waited for David to show up. Spending time with David each day did nothing to squash his crush or desensitize him to David’s presence. He often felt breathless and overstimulated around him, but when they touched? That soothed him like nothing else did.

David stumbled through the front door twenty minutes before opening, locking it behind him. He looked drenched in his wool coat with snowflakes clinging to his dripping hair. He dropped an umbrella that was bent at an odd angle and turned to face Patrick as a full-body shiver wracked his body. “M-morning.” He shivered again.

“Are you okay?” Patrick moved around the counter and strode toward David. Without thinking, he grabbed David’s hands. “You feel freezing cold.”

“It-it’s sno-snowing har-hard.” David’s teeth chattered.

“Come on, let’s warm you up.” He pulled David through to the back room. “How’s your anxiety?”

“B-bad.”

Patrick unzipped David’s drenched coach. “This wet coat can’t be helping.” David continued shaking as Patrick peeled it off him. His sweater underneath was soaked through too. “David, is it okay if I warm you up?”

David looked at him with wild eyes and he managed a shaky nod.

He knew David was warmest with skin-to-skin contact so that’s what he’d do. “I’m going to take this off, okay? And put it by the radiator to dry.” He carefully lifted the sweater from David’s body. That wasn’t how he’d imagined undressing David for the first time, but he’d never seen David so cold, and the Eagle Scout in him needed to help.

Remembering something David had once mentioned about how hard it was to dry his sweaters flat in the motel, Patrick decided to spread it across their table, then moved the table closer to the radiator, cranking it up as high as it could go. He returned to David and carefully slid his white undershirt up his torso, letting his fingers travel across David’s skin. Mostly because he knew the touch would warm him, but he’d be lying if it wasn’t partly because he wanted to feel him. David sighed through the shivers. He rushed over to drape the shirt over the back of a chair and put it in front of the radiator.

“You okay?”

David managed a slight nod as he wrapped his arms around himself.

“I’m going to take my shirt off and we’re going to go to the couch, okay?”

David shook his head. “I-I’m o-ok-okay. You d-don’t hav-have to.”

“I want to. Let me help you, please?” He rubbed his hands up and down David’s arms for a moment, barely registering the firm muscle underneath his fingers.

Swallowing his nerves, he unbuttoned his shirt as fast as his clumsy fingers could manage and peeled his undershirt off. David stared at his chest, and he felt a little self conscious under the scrutiny but he didn’t have time to think too much about that.

“Come on.” He grabbed David’s hand and pulled him over to the couch. He sat down with his back against the arm, one leg on the ground and one stretched along the cushions to press against the other arm. He held out his hands. “Come here, David.”

David’s body shook with tremors as he looked down at Patrick. “You-you’re s-sure?”

“Absolutely. Let’s get you warm.”

David lowered himself carefully onto Patrick so their chests pressed against each other. Patrick wrapped his arms around David’s shoulders as David wrapped his arms around Patrick’s waist. He hooked the leg he’d left on the couch around David’s and tucked David’s head into the crook of his neck. He whispered soothing words as he rubbed a hand up and down David’s back until the shivers subsided.

He had no idea how long they laid there. Eventually David settled further into Patrick’s embrace. Patrick wrapped his arms tighter around David as he willed his heart not to shatter in a thousand pieces for what David had to face every day. Patrick knew he wouldn’t be as warm and loving a person as David if he’d faced years without warmth. David was the most resilient person Patrick ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Sometimes he couldn’t believe _he_ _believed_ David was cursed. That curses and witches were real, but he’d seen enough of it with his own eyes to completely trust him. Patrick just wished he knew how to get rid of it. Until they figured it out, he’d do whatever it took to ease the burden from David’s shoulders and keep him warm.


	9. Chapter 9

David knew he should get up, but his limbs, and, well, heart, wouldn’t cooperate. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so warm and content. Even before the curse, he hadn’t felt that sense of _rightness_ to his core before. He could sleep for days in the comfort and safety of Patrick’s strong arms.

“Will you tell me what happened to get you so cold?” Patrick’s arms tightened around him. His voice was as soft as the pale skin pressed against his own.

“A bad start to the morning.” Patrick’s hand continued rubbing up and down his back, and David damn near purred. “The car wouldn’t start so I couldn’t get a ride, and Stevie wouldn’t take me. My umbrella broke while walking over and I was closer to the store than the motel so I kept going. And I woke up to my mom screaming about not getting a part she auditioned for.” Tears stung his eyes. The days of his family being together were numbered, and he couldn’t believe that prospect left him feeling so empty.

“Sounds like a perfect storm. Are you okay?”

Was he? No. He felt wrung out and exhausted. “I feel good right now, but I’m anxious about my mom getting a role. I want her to be happy, but… “

“But you like your family being here. Together.”

He shifted so he could wrap his arms tighter around Patrick. If he had any sense of self-preservation, he’d thank Patrick and get on with their day, but instead he let himself fall into the embrace for a bit longer until he felt so embarrassed he wouldn’t be able to look Patrick in the eye. Because as soon as they separated and he wouldn’t have the delicious warmth soothing his mind like a natural Lorazepam, he knew he’d panic. “I do. It’s been really nice, and I’m not sure I’m ready for it to end. I can’t help but feel like my family is going to leave and I’ll be left here alone.”

“You won’t be alone, David.” David had heard a variety of Patrick’s tones. Exasperated, teasing, smug, concerned, charmed. But that tone? That was a new one. He sounded… insistent and a little frustrated?

David’s breath hitched at the implication. Patrick would be there as his friend and business partner, but David wanted so much more from Patrick. He wanted everything. That thought had stopped terrifying him the day Patrick hadn’t run screaming when David had admitted his curse. But in that moment? Wrapped up in Patrick’s arms? Basking in Patrick’s warmth because his generous business partner knew David needed him? In that moment, his feelings for Patrick were clearer than ever.

It wasn’t the way Patrick’s touch warmed David from the inside and left him feeling human. It was Patrick’s care. The way he’d immediately noticed David wasn’t okay, and he’d taken charge and _made_ David okay. The way he’d been careful and thoughtful and kept checking in with David. The way Patrick had inserted himself into David’s life and showed him time and again Patrick could be relied on. The way he left David feeling cared for and appreciated and smart and like he might actually make the business work. The way he’d strode into David’s life and left him struggling to recall what life was like without Patrick in it.

Patrick helped David feel like a better version of himself. Helped him feel like he actually was the man he wanted to be. That Patrick saw him as someone deserving… love.

A lump formed in David’s throat. And that’s exactly why David couldn’t tell Patrick any of those feelings. He cared about Patrick too damn much to trap him. Patrick was the best guy David had ever met, and he knew that Patrick would want to help David. Make sure David was safe and comfortable and warm. He’d put David before himself, and David couldn’t let that happen.

Sure, they could date and have fun, but what were the odds that it would actually work out in the long run? Taking the curse out of the equation, it was a statistical probability that it would end because most relationships did. With the curse and the business connecting them, he knew Patrick would stick it out whether or not he wanted to.

It’s what he’d done for fifteen years with Rachel. Stuck around because it was easy and he wanted Rachel to be happy, even at his own expense. David couldn’t trap Patrick into that. Wouldn’t. He cared about Patrick too much.

“I suppose we should open the store.”

Patrick’s hand stilled on David’s back. “We don’t have to.”

David squeezed his eyes closed and willed his emotions to climb back into their box. “I appreciate that, but we can’t risk the income loss this close to Christmas. I’m sorry I was such a wreck today.”

Patrick grabbed David’s face and gently moved his head until they looked in each other’s eyes. “Never be sorry for having a bad day. You did nothing wrong.” His brown eyes were like a window into Patrick’s soul. All care and concern and fondness. “I’m glad I could help in a small way.”

David looked down at the thin patch of hair on Patrick’s chest and shook his head. “This wasn’t a small way. You made everything okay, Patrick. Thank you.” He nearly winced at Patrick’s broad smile. He loved to be needed, and David needed him. Too much. It wasn’t fair to Patrick with how one-sided things were. Patrick gave David so much and he had little to offer Patrick in return.

He gently patted Patrick’s chest while he had the opportunity, and reluctantly peeled himself off Patrick’s warm and welcoming body. The instant cold knocked the wind out of him when he stood from the couch. Immediately, Patrick jumped up and stood next to him, pulling David into a hug. He couldn’t. It was too addicting. He stepped out of Patrick’s embrace. “As much as I appreciate this,” he gestured between them. “I can’t keep you wrapped around me all the time like a human Snuggie.” David turned and found his now-dry undershirt and slipped it on. He could have sworn he heard Patrick mumble, “why not?” David’s heart ached. Pulling the damp sweater on, he turned to Patrick with a false smile, settling into the bone-deep chill that stung his nerve endings ferociously after basking in Patrick’s warmth. “Let’s go make some money.”

“Okay, David.” David did his best to ignore the sound of defeat in Patrick’s voice and focus on how to salvage his sweater when he got home later.


	10. Chapter 10

In the week since the best morning of Patrick’s life, he’d been a wreck and damn near at the end of his rope. He’d oscillated between wanting to lay all his cards on the table with David and do whatever it took to get over his desperate crush. No, a _crush_ minimized the depth of his feelings for David. If he were a betting man, he’d put money on David reciprocating his feelings to some extent. But like with so many things with David, it was far more complex than that.

He was certain to the core of his being that David was holding back with him for some reason, and Patrick could drive himself wild trying to guess what it was. He needed David to share, but didn’t know how to get him to. What if Patrick’s suspicions about what held him back were wrong? The logical part of his brain reasoned David felt like a burden. Since he’d opened up about his curse and leaned into Patrick’s touch, it was like David bent over backwards to try to balance some sort of scoresheet with Patrick by bringing him tea every day and offering to do the chores he hated. The emotional part of his brain was much, much crueler. That part of his brain suggested David didn’t want to let Patrick get too close because he didn’t actually like Patrick as much as Patrick liked him. And he wanted to keep some distance between them for the sake of their professional partnership.

His emotional brain could be a real asshole.

“What are you thinking for lunch? BLT or club?” David twisted the lip balms until the label of each faced out. Patrick was almost hypnotized by his long fingers moving around the tubes.

“You know, I’m thinking of mixing it up today.”

David looked up and arched an eyebrow as he twisted a small smile to one side of his mouth. “Feeling adventurous, huh?”

Patrick stalked toward him and gripped his waist as he passed to go in the storeroom. “I am.” Most of the time he found himself touching David, it was to offer him warmth and seek reassurance for himself. But sometimes, _sometimes_ , he wanted to send another message. And judging by David’s quick inhale, he’d succeeded.

After plugging in some numbers from the week’s sales into his quarterly spreadsheet, David announced he was going to go grab their lunches. Patrick returned to the floor and watched David walk across the street. After a moment, his vision was blocked by a smiling guy who walked in the door.

“Hello, welcome to Rose Apothecary. Is there anything I can help you with?”

The guy was shorter than Patrick, a small frame in his pea coat with a close-cut stylish haircut, black-rimmed glasses, and a huge smile. The almost complete opposite of David.

“Well, hi there.” His smile bumped up a couple of notches as he gave Patrick a quick once-over. “I’m looking for a Christmas gift for my mom and a friend suggested I check this place out. I’m glad I did.”

Patrick felt his cheeks heat. “Any ideas of what you’re looking for?”

The man took a few steps closer to Patrick as he looked over the products he passed. “She loves candles and lotions with floral scents. I prefer more masculine scents myself,” he said, smiling even wider.

“We have some candles that might work.” He led the man over and talked through the options. By the time they started talking about the lotions, Patrick felt a bit more relaxed. Their conversation shifted to easy small talklike Christmas activities and the upcoming Marvel release. He was a nice enough guy and talking to (possibly?) another queer person caused a thrill to rush through his stomach. When he’d come to his identity realization, he hadn’t thought about how Schitt’s Creek wouldn’t have much of a community for him to explore and make friends. He’d really enjoy having more queer friends in town because sometimes it felt like he expected David to fulfill too many slots in his life. Business partner, close friend, entertainment, queer community.

David returned a few minutes later and smiled politely at their customer before taking their food to the back. He itched to follow David back there but didn’t want to be rude.

“While I’m here, I should check out your cologne options. Are there any you like? Your recommendations have been good so far.”

Patrick smiled kindly at him. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been so blatantly flirted with. He didn’t hate it, but it didn’t leave him feeling warm like his interactions with David did. “This one is nice. Notes of cedar and teakwood.” He passed it to the guy.

“Can I?” He held up his forearm and Patrick nodded. He slid up his coat and sprayed it on his skin. He lifted his arm to his face and inhaled. “Mm, that’s nice. What do you think?” He held it out to Patrick.

Patrick leaned forward and took a quick sniff. “Yeah, it is.”

“Good. Well, I suppose that’s all I need.” He walked over to the counter and Patrick followed and rang him up. “You know that new Marvel movie is supposed to show in the Elmdale theater. If you’re looking for a fellow fan to go with, that would be fun.” He grabbed one of the Rose Apothecary business cards David had designed and wrote something on the back. “Text me sometime.” With a little wave, the guy, or Ken according to the card, walked out of the store.

All Patrick could do was blink after him. Had he just been asked out? By a customer? He gave himself a moment to assess how he felt. Patrick waited for the flutter in his stomach or an increase in his pulse. Something to indicate interest in the guy, but all he felt was a pull to join David. So he did.

“If it isn’t the stud of Rose Apothecary.” David smirked as he popped a fry in his mouth.

“Ha. Ha.” He dropped into the seat across from David at their small table and tossed the business card to the side to focus on his lunch. And David.

“He was cute,” David said nonchalantly.

A flicker of something Patrick didn’t enjoy burned in his stomach. “Want his number?” He’d said the words with a tone a bit less teasing and a bit more snippy than usual, and David’s eyes widened. Shit. He needed to take a breath so he took a bite of his sandwich.

“He’s, uh, not really my type, but you should call him.”

Patrick placed his sandwich back down. “ _I_ should call him?”

David shrugged. Patrick hated to see _that_ shrug in _that_ context. The shrug David used when he wanted to seem less affected than he felt. “Why not? He’s cute. You’re cute. You’d be cute together.”

“We’d be cute together.” The bite of his sandwich soured in his stomach so he put the uneaten part back in the box.

“I don’t know. He seems nice and you deserve someone nice.”

He didn’t want someone _nice_. He wanted David. Couldn’t he tell? Didn’t he feel it too? Maybe Patrick had made it all up in his mind. Maybe David felt tied to Patrick because of the curse, but he wasn’t romantically interested in him. Pushing him on Ken could be David’s way of letting him down easy. Just like that asshole emotional part of his brain had been needling him about.

Patrick stared at David, pulse pounding in his ears. Scary words threatened to tumble from his mouth. _Why are you doing this? You act like you like me too. Why are you so scared? I’m scared too. Can’t you see how good we’d be together?_ But maybe the fact he couldn’t say the words and neither could David meant something. If they were too scared to have a real conversation about their constant flirting, regular touches, unparalleled connection, then maybe it couldn’t work after all.

“Okay.” He ground his molars together.

“Okay?” David lowered his sandwich.

Patrick looked away. He couldn’t take the pain on David’s face. “Go ahead and take lunch. I’m going to do a few things and I’ll eat later. I’m not really hungry.” He pointedly picked up the business card and stored his lunch in the fridge then strode to the front. He wasn’t proud of how he reacted, but he couldn’t be perfectly even-keel all the time. Sometimes he had the right to pull a David.

Hi Ken. This is Patrick from Rose Apothecary. Want to grab dinner tomorrow?  
  



	11. Chapter 11

Stevie, I think Patrick made a date  
  
Finally asked him out? About fucking time  
  
With a guy who came into the store and gave Patrick his number  
  
You’re kidding. Some guy gave Patrick his number and he asked him out?  
  
um basically  
  
David  
  
What did you do  
  
I didn’t do anything! Why do you think I did something?  
  
Because if you’d told Patrick how you felt, there’s no way in hell he’d have a date with anyone but you  
  
bullshit  
  
Because we’re cut from the same defective cloth, I know you don’t think someone like Patrick could like you. But he does. It’s so fucking obvious it literally makes me ill  
  
It doesn’t matter  
  
Um? Yes it does? Isn’t that the one thing that should matter?  
  
I’m not going to trap him with me  
  
What makes you think he’d feel trapped  
  
You know him. He’d view keeping me warm as a noble project he’d dedicate his life to at the expense of his own happiness  
  
Okay, yeah. I see your point. His Boy Scout vibes are fucking intense  
  
If he doesn’t find someone else, he’s going to want to fix me  
  
Fuck  
  
I know  
  
I’m really sorry David  
  
I know  
  
I don’t know shit about relationships, but maybe you should have a conversation with him about it  
  
You’re right  
  
I am?  
  
You don’t know shit about relationships. Neither do I. If I talk to him about it, he’ll talk me out of my worry and then 10 years will pass and we’ll be angrily holding hands so he can keep me warm but my touch will disgust him.  
  
wow that’s fucking dark  
  
It’s also entirely possible  
  
Or maybe it works out  
  
Yeah because that’s likely  
  
fuck  
  
yeah. Anyway stalled long enough while pretending to eat lunch. Guess I gotta go put on a happy face for the afternoon. Wish me luck  
  
I’m sorry  
  
me too  
  



	12. Chapter 12

“It’s such a poignant criticism of the current state of politics in the U.S., I think.”

Patrick took another sip of his beer. “Mm, yeah, good point.”

Ken leaned forward and trailed his fingers down the condensation of his glass. He supposed that kind of movement should be hot, right? If David did it, Patrick would probably be squirming in his seat. Sure, Ken was an attractive guy, but Patrick didn’t feel that _pull_ toward him. “Have you read the book it’s based on?”

“I haven’t, but maybe someday. Have you?”

Ken lit up and gushed about the book. Patrick asked enough questions to seem polite and engaged, but he was, well, kind of bored. Not bored exactly, but not engaged the way he should be on a date. Ken seemed like a good enough guy to hang out with, but not someone he could see himself missing every day and holding his breath until he saw again.

After the waiter dropped off the check, Patrick grabbed it out of habit.

“You know, Patrick. This is the best date I’ve been on in ages.” Ken rested his chin in his hand.

Patrick shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “That’s really nice. Thank you.”

“You’re really easy to talk to.”

Patrick smiled. He wasn’t sure how to reply in a way that wouldn’t lead Ken on.

Ken’s mouth closed and his smile turned down. “But you’re not really feeling chemistry, are you?”

Adrenaline rushed through Patrick’s nervous system. The urge to disagree and dismiss Ken’s concerns rushed toward his mouth as it had many times Rachel called him out for not acting interested in her, but his brain sent up warning flares. He considered about Ken’s words. Best date in ages? Easy to talk to? How could he feel so differently about the same hour they’d spent together?

Then it hit him. Patrick prided himself on being a friendly guy who could get along with anyone and make them feel comfortable. He had since he was a kid. So why wouldn’t his dates be pleasant experiences? He knew how to hold his own in any conversation and had a natural ability to make people feel comfortable and heard. But that wasn’t enough for Patrick. He wanted to feel his heart pound as he anxiously awaited the next thing the person sitting across from him would say. He wanted to feel _nervous_ and excited. Ken didn’t make him nervous. At all. Except for the slightly sad way he looked at Patrick in that moment.

That was it, wasn’t it? Ken picked up on it and asked Patrick a point-blank question about how he felt. Could it really be that easy? If he wanted a relationship to be different than the one he’d had with Rachel and the handful of other women he’d dated, he needed to be bold enough to tell people how he felt even if it made him uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry, Ken. I’m not feeling the chemistry.”

Ken shrugged. “That’s okay. It’s sort of a numbers game. Sometimes it’s hard to tell when there’s chemistry or a friend vibe or no vibe.”

Patrick’s shoulders relaxed. “I feel the friend vibe.”

Ken perked up at that. “Good. Can’t have too many friends.”

“To be honest? I don’t have many queer friends here. I’d really like more.” Lightning didn’t strike him down. He didn’t puke or die of embarrassment. He… said something difficult and truthful and felt… better? 

“I’d like that. Maybe we can still catch that Marvel movie when it opens after all. As friends of course. I could introduce you to some other folks and we could go as a group.”

Patrick’s smile came easy. “I’d like that. Maybe I could bring my, um, business partner. He’s basically my one queer friend in town.”

Ken’s eyebrow raised. “The guy who came in at the store? He doesn’t strike me as a Marvel fan.”

Patrick huffed out a laugh. “He’s not, but he’s made me watch enough of his reality shows and rom-coms so he owes me a superhero movie.”

Ken pushed his plate back. “It’s none of my business, but if you could see your face right now, I think you’d realize where you feel some chemistry.”

Patrick looked down at his hands and smiled. David. Patrick spent a lot of time thinking about when he’d get to talk to David next. He couldn’t wait to hear his endless opinions on any topic. He often felt the good kind of nervous around him. “Thanks, Ken. I appreciate you being so understanding.”

“No worries, Patrick. With every date, I feel like I’m one step closer to finding who I’m looking for. Plus, I got free dinner and great conversation with a nice guy out of it.”

He really hoped Ken found his own David.


	13. Chapter 13

David swiped a finger under his eyes to capture the fresh tears. He was so deep in his pity party, Bridget Jones wasn’t even cheering him up with her shenanigans. He pulled the blankets closer to his ears and yanked the toque further down his head to grasp at the shadow of warmth.

He’d probably never feel warm again. How could he? Even if he and Patrick spent the rest of their lives running the store together, he couldn’t expect Patrick to touch him all the time. Especially if Patrick settled down with someone. How the hell would that arrangement work? _Hi, Patrick’s partner. I know you love each other, and, honestly, I kind of love him too, but I have this curse and Patrick seems to be the only person who can help. So, can I touch him sometimes? Just holding hands and maybe the occasional topless hug or cuddle session when I’m having a really bad day. I promise I won’t make a move. Are you okay with that?_ Yeah, right. That would go over so fucking well.

He had to choose between his own comfort and trapping Patrick or staying cold and risking Patrick forever choosing between David’s comfort and his partner’s. Patrick was the best person David had ever met. With bone-deep certainty, he knew three things: Patrick would always care about David’s comfort, Patrick would always feel guilty if David’s comfort hurt someone else, and Patrick would always feel guilty if his partner’s comfort hurt David.

A part of him wished he’d never met Patrick so he never put him in such an awful situation. He rolled over on his bed. Who the fuck was he kidding? He didn’t wish that at all. What he really wished was that he’d kept his goddamn curse to himself and not burdened Patrick with it. But those earnest eyes and broad shoulders seemed so willing to share David’s stress.

He wiped his eyes again. The worst was the little voice that suggested, what if? What if it did work out? What if Patrick could love David for the long-haul, despite the curse?

“David, have you seen my pearls?”

David wiped his eyes again before looking at his mother. “Which pearls?”

“The ones your father gave me for our twenty-year anniversary.” She walked further into the room. He was glad the television offered the only light in the room so she couldn’t see how puffy his eyes were.

“Sorry, haven’t seen any pearls around. Maybe check Alexis’s stuff.” He kept his attention on Bridget.

“What has you so melancholy?” She stopped at the foot of his bed and blocked the movie. He tsk’d at her.

David gestured to the movie. “The antics of Bridget Jones always get to me.”

“David.” He didn’t like his mother’s tone. Nor did he like her sitting at the edge of the bed. “You’ve lost yourself to this fictional journey enough times by now. What’s really going on in there?” She tapped a long fingernail against his forehead.

“Um, excuse you. Ouch.”

She folded her hands on her lap. “Is this about the curse?”

He choked on air. They hadn’t spoken of it since it had happened. Since that fateful day he’d joined his mother when she’d visited the witch to research for her role. At the time, he hadn’t recognized his mother’s harsh behavior because it’s just how he knew her to be, but with his life experience and some distance from their old ways, he cringed at the memory of Moira Rose’s cold condescension as she insulted the woman’s home and craft and assertions that witchcraft actually was real. Jokes on them, well, him. It sure as shit was real.

“What makes you think it’s about the curse?”

She rested her hand on his shin. “I’ve seen you with Patrick.” David startled at his mother’s use of Patrick’s actual name.

“Okay, and?” He didn’t try to curb the annoyance in his voice. His mother and sincerity rarely met, and when they did, it often wasn’t pretty.

“I have been remiss in my lack of expressed regret for involving you in that incident.”

David sat up and shifted back to lean against the headboard. “Incident? That’s a huge fucking understatement. I’m constantly freezing with no end in sight. Do you have any idea how brutal it is feel cold in the warmer months and have to suffer through this climate in the winter?”

Guilt flashed in her eyes. “Have you ever wondered why I haven’t been burdened with the curse though it was my behavior that led to the infelicitous events?”

That was the first time in fourteen years he knew for certain his mother hadn’t been affected. He’d assumed since she’s never admitted to coldness when he’d gone to her crying about it or the years since when she never shivered like he did. Even during her peak meltdowns, she never called for blankets or a space heater. No. He’d shouldered the curse alone, but a small part of him always wondered if she’d found a way to hide it and he hadn’t been strong enough.

“Obviously I’ve wondered.” He stilled as she carefully tucked the blanket around his shoulders in a rare expression of motherly affection.

“I treated the woman, the witch, cooly and she repaid me in kind. I will be forever sorry for you getting caught in my ill devised conduct. I was not plagued by the curse because, at that time in my life, I did not feel. And I think my curse was to learn to feel by seeing you suffer.” She returned to resting her hand on his leg.

How could she have felt anything in those years? Between the alcohol and the drugs, his mother had been too numb to feel anything substantial.

“You are cut from the same fine cloth as I, but you did not shield your emotions. You may not embrace them or share them, but I know you feel things deeply.”

Tears pricked the edges of his eyes. He felt too fucking much all the fucking time.

His mom stared off into the middle distance. “Until you shed the cold within, you will feel cold within.”

He’d spent countless hours dissecting those words over the years and never felt any closer to solving it. When he’d reached out to the witch a couple of times, she’d rejected his offers of money for a cure. The last visit, the year before they lost their money, had been the worst attempt. The pity in her eyes as she closed the door on him had sent him into a weeks-long spiral.

“Now, David, I must prod again. I have seen you with Patrick.” She looked at him meaningfully. “How do you feel with him?”

He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Warm. When I touch him, I feel warm.”

She smiled softly, patiently, in the way only Moira Rose could manage. “And how do you feel here?” His mom pressed her hand over his heart.

Tears fell freely, and for the first time, he may understand the curse. “Warm,” he said on a sob. He let his mom wrap him in her arms and hold him as he cried. It may have taken more than thirty years for that simple motherly affection, but it was worth the wait.

A soft knock at the door startled him, and his mom pulled back. “An evening caller? How fortuitous.” She rose from the bed with a final pat to his leg. He wiped his eyes and cheeks and chin and the tears reached his neck? Jesus.

“David? Are you home?”

His mom’s stare bore into him. “Seize the warmth.” She turned to the door and flipped her hair before flamboyantly swinging it open. “Peter! How lovely to see you. Are you here for my sweet David?” She stepped back and let Patrick in. With a wink, she turned and walked back to her room.

Patrick stepped in and softly closed the door behind him, not taking his eyes off David. “Are-are you okay?”

David nodded then shook his head then nodded and then his head moved in a weird circular thing as tears fell anew.

“Hey, hey. David, what’s wrong?” Patrick immediately moved to sit next to David on the bed. Not perpendicular at his legs, but literally squeezing next to him at the head of his bed. He wrapped an arm around David and pulled David’s head to his shoulder.

“I’ve been watching a Bridget Jones marathon,” he replied weakly as he sucked up every degree of warmth Patrick offered. “Why are you here?”

“I, uh, wanted to talk to you about some things.”

David felt Patrick’s body tense next to him, and a wave of nausea rolled through him like a tidal wave. He wanted to burrow in his blankets and hide from whatever was coming, but hiding wouldn’t solve anything. He understood that now. “Um, I want to talk to you too.” Shamelessly wrapping his arms around Patrick’s waist, he let out a sigh as Patrick’s body released the tension.

“Okay.” Patrick nodded. “Okay. Privacy might be good for our conversation? Ray’s away for the evening. We could go back to mine unless you think your parents won’t—“

“Yup, let’s go back to yours.” David immediately shifted to climb off the bed. He did _not_ want his mother eavesdropping at the door for this conversation. “I just need to bundle up with a few layers.” Without knowing what Patrick wanted to say, he needed to be prepared for the coldest of eventualities. He looked around for his favorite hoodie, but paused when Patrick grabbed his hand.

“You don’t need to.” All of his fears over trapping Patrick clawed at his throat. When David tried to pull back, Patrick squeezed his hand. “It’s for me, David. I, um, I could use the comfort.”

David’s head snapped up, and he studied Patrick. He saw a man with drooping shoulders and tired eyes boring into his own. David tangled their fingers. “Let’s go.”


	14. Chapter 14

Somehow Patrick managed to drive them back to his place while holding David’s hand the entire time, except for the amount of time it took to get in and out of his car. He wondered if David realized he kept rubbing his thumb on the back of Patrick’s hand.

Patrick unlocked the door to Ray’s house with his left hand as David gripped his right. He pushed open the door and gestured for David to go in first. When David had walked into Ray’s a couple of months ago, he’d have never expected to be holding hands with David now. The man with the thick eyebrows and sideways smile and biting quips who was now his business partner, close friend, and if the conversation he planned to have went as he hoped, romantic partner.

“We can talk at the dining table or the living room or my room is upstairs. Wherever you’re most comfortable.” He considered suggesting they go upstairs and take off their shirts so they could cuddle as they talked. He knew the extra contact would help David’s anxiety, but without knowing what David wanted to talk to him about, he couldn’t find the nerve to suggest it.

David walked toward the living room and peeked in, tugging gently on Patrick’s hand as he moved. “Um, living room?”

Seeing David act so hesitant had Patrick’s heart jumping in his throat. Whatever was going to happen, he owed it to himself—to both of them—to be honest with David about his feelings.

“Want anything to drink?”

David shook his head. “No, thank you.”

He followed David into the living room and they settled on the middle of the three-seat couch, hands still clasped. “Let’s get comfortable.” Patrick let go of David’s hand and quickly shifted to lean back against the couch arm. He rested his arm across the back of the couch and held out his hand. David moved to mirror Patrick’s position and grabbed his hand. He needed to be able to read David’s face.

“I guess I’ll start?” Patrick’s stomach tightened as he waited for David to nod. He took a moment to study everything. David’s soft hands and the way he smiled slightly as he looked down at them. How David had bravely opened up to him about the curse and not only had the courage to ask for support, he had the courage to accept what Patrick offered. The way they supported each other and teased each other and pushed each other to be better. Their late night text conversations about nothing and everything. Teaming up with Stevie to tease David and shooting exasperated glances across the store at each other any time Roland came into the store. Their inside jokes and the way they knew each others likes and dislikes and cafe orders.

For the first time, his logical brain and emotional brain joined forces and rooted for David to say what Patrick wanted to hear. Patrick knew everything was about to change for better or worse, but he hoped with every fiber in his being it was for the better because he didn’t know how to handle worse. He’d figure it out, but he sure as hell didn’t want to.

Patrick took a deep breath. “I went on a date with Ken tonight.”

David squeezed his eyes closed. “Oh? How was it?”

That… wasn’t what he expected David to say. “It was fine.”

“Good. That’s good.” David relaxed his grip on Patrick’s hand and started to pull back.

Patrick tightened his grip. “No, it’s not.”

David’s eyes sharpened as he frowned. He bent his legs and wrapped his free arm around his knees. “Uh, okay?” He started to curl into himself.

Patrick had one shot to get this right. He couldn’t risk screwing it up. He couldn’t help but feel like his future, _their_ future, rode on this conversation. Taking a steadying breath, Patrick willed his face to show everything he felt for the man across from him. “I want more than fine, David. I want exciting and exasperating and thrilling and loving. I want someone who leaves me breathless and challenges me and supports me while I support them. I want a partner who I can’t wait to see every day.”

“What are you saying?” David asked breathlessly.

Patrick placed his free hand over the one on David’s knee. “I’m saying I spent the entire date comparing Ken to you. I spend my days off wishing I could see you but scared you’re tired of me. In the evenings, I think about texting you about the shows Ray and I are watching and wanting you to come over and watch them with us. Even though we spend all day together, I feel like I can’t get enough of being around you. I’ve known for a long time how I feel about you, David, but I can’t let another day go by without knowing how _you_ feel.”

David’s smile exploded like a supernova, but as seconds ticked by, it dimmed like an eclipse. His eyes widened and his chest rose and fell more rapidly. “I care about you, Patrick. So fucking much it hurts.”

“But?” Patrick fought the nausea churning in his stomach.

David swallowed. “But it’s not fair to you.”

“I’m going to need you to explain that one.” Patrick’s words were tight. He was surprised he managed them at all with the boulder-sized lump in his throat.

“My curse.” David’s voice went high-pitched and he pulled the hand on his knee back to move around. “I’ve trapped you. You’re so good and kind. I know you.” He looked up at the ceiling. “You’ll do whatever you need to do to make sure I’m warm and comfortable as often as possible. That’s not fair to you.”

Patrick’s mind raced as it worked to decipher the implication of David’s words. Once the pieces fell into place, he dropped David’s hand and stood abruptly. He needed to think clearly and the way David’s touch comforted him might cloud his thinking too much. He fought the urge to sit back down when he saw David immediately wrap his arms around himself.

“You pushed me to go on a date with Ken out of some misguided altruism, didn’t you?”

David tugged his sleeves over his hands. “I wouldn’t call it misguided,” he mumbled.

Patrick narrowed his eyes and began pacing. “Oh, I certainly would.” He couldn’t stop his body if he wanted to. The movement helped his brain process like an electricity-producing bicycle. “Let me get this straight. You feel the same about me, but you’re trying to push me away because you think I can’t make my own decisions?”

“I didn’t say that at all!”

“Pretty sure it was implied.”

David pressed his lips together. He rubbed his hands over his face.

“Did you ever consider that I feel cold without you too?”

David’s head snapped up.

“Not physically like you do, but here.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “You’re like the space heater to my heart.”

The corner of David’s mouth twitched and the skin at the corners of his eyes crinkled a bit, and it was the most beautiful thing Patrick had ever seen. “Wow.”

“Not my best work, but I’m trying here.” Patrick’s lips lifted a bit as his pacing slowed.

David turned and placed his feet on the floor, and looked Patrick straight in the eyes. “What if years down the road you decide you don’t want to be with me any longer, but you don’t say anything because you feel guilty because of my curse? What if this ends up being a repeat of your relationship with Rachel?”

That hurt like a fast ball to the gut. He’d opened up a lot to David about his past and thought it was a sign of their trust and emotional compatibility. He was such a moron. Of course David had viewed his stories of Rachel as a giant red flag. How could he not? Because David Rose was a good person and wouldn’t want Patrick to be unhappy again. God, He’d screwed up so much and didn’t even know he’d been digging his own grave the whole time.

David’s words replayed in his head. _What if years down the road you decide you don’t want to be with me any longer._ Years down the road. A laugh bubbled up Patrick’s throat and he couldn’t stop it. Another followed and another until he had to cover his mouth to try to stop them.

“Um, _excuse you_. Why the hell are you laughing?”

Patrick ran a shaky hand through his short hair. “I’m sorry. I really am. But.” He shook his head and laughed again. “You can picture us together for years.”

David threw his hands in the air. “I believe that’s what I just said.”

Patrick looked at David and smiled at the exasperating man he’d fallen for. He strode over and dropped to his knees in front of David and grabbed David’s hands, clutching them to his chest. “You, the guy who said his longest relationship was three months and have no idea how to have a real relationship, can picture us together for years.”

“And?”

Patrick rested his forehead against their hands. “I’m the guy who only knows how to do long-term relationships. If I can see us together and you can see us together, why the fuck aren’t we together?”

“I- I guess I was trying to protect you.”

“From what?”

David looked down at their hands like he was grasping for his final excuses. “Me.” He said it so quietly, Patrick barely heard him.

He gently placed a finger under David’s chin and tilted his head up. “You’re the strongest person I know. You managed fourteen years of the curse before you met me, and I know you could manage without me. Sure, my presence makes you more comfortable, but it’s not a necessity to your ability to live and thrive.” He shifted so his hand cupped David’s face. “Like your new designer clothes made you comfortable in your old life, you’re making due without being able to afford those. I know you like the warmth and want me around, but David, you don’t _need_ me.”

Tears raced down David’s face as he reached out and cupped Patrick’s cheeks. He leaned up and savored every millisecond as he moved until his lips met David’s.

He moaned at the soft pressure of David’s pliant lips and the heat rushing through him. David tilted his head and deepened their kiss at the better angle. He opened his mouth at David’s tongue running along the seam of his lips and fell into whatever the future held for them.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated E

Nothing could have prepared David for the feeling of Patrick’s tongue in his mouth and the way his body burned from the inside out. The heat was almost too much as sweat beaded at his temples for the first time in fourteen years. Patrick moaned as he pulled David flush against him. In that moment, David couldn’t remember a single reasonable excuse for keeping Patrick at a distance.

Eventually, he had to pull back for air. “Wow.”

Patrick’s fingers squeezed at the bare skin of his waist under his sweater. “Wow is right.” Patrick’s smile warmed David’s heart in a way his touch couldn’t. He looked like the weight of the world had crumbled off his shoulders. “Are we doing this? Us? Giving us a try?”

David looked deep into Patrick’s eyes, searching for any hint of hesitation. All he found was joy and adoration and hope. So much hope. “Yes. I want to give us a try. Being with you. I could never forgive myself it I didn’t- didn’t try with you.” He nearly collapsed after the words left his mouth. With heavy limbs and a fuzzy mind, he felt like he could sleep for eighteen hours. Maybe eighteen days.

Patrick pulled David in for a long hug. When he pulled back, he had his familiar teasing smile. “I know we have more talking to do, but I have an idea.”

David pinched his lips to one side as he studied Patrick’s swollen-lipped, gleeful grin. “Your ideas have historically held some merit.”

“High compliment. Thank you.” Patrick chuckled. “I was thinking about how nice it was when I held you that morning.” He smiled bashfully as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I think about that morning a lot actually. I was so comfortable and you seemed to be too.” Patrick grabbed David’s hands in his own. “So, I was thinking how much more comfortable our talking would be if we could do that again but not crammed on a loveseat.” He leaned in until his cheek rubbed against David’s. “Think about how warm I can make you if we’re touching head-to-toe while naked under covers.”

David shivered but it wasn’t from the cold. “Patrick Brewer, are you trying to get my pants off?” Patrick had surprised David in myriad ways since they’d met, but his boldness was wholly unexpected.

“I just want to keep you warm.” Patrick stood and held out his hand. David accepted it and let Patrick pull him up. He already kept David warmer than he could ever know, but he certainly wouldn’t turn down a naked Patrick.

The warmth from the contact of their hands felt different, heavier somehow, as Patrick led him up stairs and into a bedroom with horrific wallpaper and way too many knick-knacks.

“Before you say anything, I didn’t decorate. Most of this was already here.”

“Good save because I was legitimately concerned.” Everything was so garish, he wasn’t even sure he’d be able to get an erection if things moved that direction. But then Patrick closed the door and turned to David with want written all over his face. Not just the _let’s get naked and fuck_ kind but the _I really want to hold you and make things better and then maybe fool around a little_ kind.

“We’re really doing this, aren’t we?” Patrick looked like a fucking ray of light in pitch darkness.

“We are.” The words weren’t as hard to say as he’d expected. Butterflies erupted in his stomach, and though butterflies were seriously creepy as hell, he loved the feeling and the anticipation of what was to come. For the first time since meeting Patrick, he didn’t feel a shadow of curse secrets or curse guilt hanging over him. Everything was in the open. He trusted Patrick completely. Implicitly. It felt like Patrick had taken a sledgehammer to the last of David’s defenses with his speech about how David could survive without him. David had never allowed himself to go there, but Patrick was right. David _could_ survive. He was so grateful to have met someone who believed in him so much.

“Is this where we get naked and cuddle?” David shimmied his shoulders.

Patrick looked at him with those huge, fond heart-eyes. “I only want to do what you’re comfortable with, okay?”

David tilted his head. “I feel like that’s my line? Aren’t you the newbie here?”

“I think we can agree we’re both newbies in different ways. I may be new to sex with a man, but I’m definitely not new to relationship sex.”

David bit his bottom lip. “Relationship sex is a thing, huh?” God, he liked his guy. So damn much.

“David, oh, David. You have no idea. Have you ever laughed during sex?” He must have seen David grimace because his fingers found their way under the hem of his sweater to his hips. “The _good_ kind of laughing?” Patrick pulled David into him and leaned in to kiss David’s neck. “Or enjoyed the intimacy of talking about anything while naked and cuddling?” A kiss to his jawline. “Or felt truly comfortable asking for what you want because you trust the person you’re with?” A kiss to the corner of his mouth.

No, he hadn’t experienced those things. He’d been laughed _at_ during sex and had plenty of awkward conversations while naked and had asked for the things he knew his partners would give him. David gripped Patrick’s shoulders and held on. How did Patrick always manage to keep David off-kilter while keeping him supported?

“That’s a big no to all those, but I want to experience them. With you.” He kissed Patrick because they could do that now. Kiss. Kiss when greeting each other at the store or when he came back with a tea for Patrick or when passing each other in the storeroom. Kisses after dates and when waking up and when saying goodnight.

“Me too, David.” His fingers dug into David’s hip as he kissed and nipped his way down David’s throat.

Feeling Patrick’s growing arousal against him, David wanted to shift things to a territory he was more comfortable with. Offer a bit of his own expertise to Patrick’s newbie-ness. While David still rode the high of honesty and sharing feelings, he wanted to gauge how Patrick reacted to something direct and dirty w. He kissed Patrick’s cheek and gently bit his earlobe. The way Patrick moaned and tightened his hold on David’s hips spurred him on. He pressed his lips to Patrick’s ear. “Patrick, oh, Patrick,” he said in a tone matching the one Patrick had used. “Have you ever had someone choke while swallowing your dick?” He licked the back of his ear and Patrick’s entire body shook. “Or rim you until you screamed?” A wet kiss to his neck as Patrick’s fingers tightened around David. “Or let you finger them open so you could fuck them?” Patrick _growled_.

Patrick dropped his head back as he pressed his groin into David’s. “Fuck, David.”

David took advantage of Patrick’s pale neck on display and kissed a path across, paying special attention to his Adam’s apple. “We can do that whenever you’d like.”

Patrick’s head snapped up. “W-we can?” He blinked owlishly.

Pressing his lips between his teeth, David pressed his fingers into Patrick’s hair. “Hey, I’m not trying to pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do, and I promise to tell you if I’m not comfortable with anything. But I also hope you’ll tell me if there are things you _do_ want to do because, um, I am interested in doing everything with you.”

“Everything?” Patrick said in a hoarse voice.

David gave Patrick a filthy, wet kiss. “Everything.”

Patrick’s hands slid up David’s torso, leaving a hot path in their wake. David took over to carefully lift his sweater over his head and place it on Patrick’s dresser. Patrick’s hands didn’t leave David’s skin as he removed his undershirt. He loved how attentive and thoughtful Patrick was as he made sure David stayed warm. Since he hadn’t actually been warm during sex for fourteen years, he couldn’t quite predict how his body would react if it went from Patrick Hot to Curse Cold in a flash.

He focused his attention on unbuttoning Patrick’s navy button-up. For a moment he was struck by the thought that Patrick had chosen that shirt for a date with Ken. It gave him immense satisfaction to rid Patrick of the shirt. And if he threw it a bit too hard across the room, well.

“I think you mentioned something about naked cuddling?”

Patrick licked his lips. “I believe I did.” Patrick kept one hand on David’s waist as he used the other to unbutton and unzip his jeans, while David worked on his own pants.

Stripped down to their boxers, David grabbed Patrick’s hand as he stepped back to get a good look at what Patrick had going under those Levi’s and button-ups. And, whoa, he had a lot going on under there. Jesus. “You know, when I woke up this morning, I didn’t see this as the direction my day would end up.” David had dreamed of those thick thighs so many times.

“Funny enough, neither did I. I had fully expected to spend my evening pouting over the fact you tried to pawn me off on some guy who flirted with me in our store because you were too chicken to ask me out yourself.”

David’s mouth dropped open. “Look who’s getting all mouthy now that he’s gotten a few kisses. I didn’t hear you asking me out either,” David said in a voice accidentally way too serious for the moment. Patrick face softened as regret flashed in his eyes, so David put his hands on his hips to shift things back on track. “Is this the kind of attitude I’m going to have to deal with?”

Patrick’s wolfish grin sent a jolt right to David’s cock. “I’ll show you mouthy.”

“Please do.”

Patrick shucked his boxer-briefs and stood proudly under David’s gaze. He felt no shame studying Patrick’s beautiful dick. He couldn’t want to get his hands on it, ooh his mouth on it. Yes. He definitely wanted that. Then maybe feeling Patrick press it inside of him and—

“David?”

“Mm?” David blinked up at Patrick.

“Are you going to keep looking at my dick for a while or are you going to let me see yours?”

Without breaking eye contact, David grabbed the waistband of his underwear and pushed them down. He stood and squared his shoulders and smirked at Patrick, refusing to break their eye contact. Patrick’s hand slowly slid down David’s chest from his shoulders. After several long moments with the sexual tension swelling around them, Patrick looked down and his mouth fell open. And if that wasn’t the best goddamn compliment he’d ever received.

David genuinely expected cuddling and maybe some kissing when he’d followed Patrick up the stairs, but with how fucking _responsive_ he was to David’s touch and how badly he wanted Patrick, he wanted to keep going. Push it a bit further. He had a feeling Patrick wasn’t as buttoned-up as his wardrobe would lead one to believe.

David watched Patrick’s face carefully as he reached down and slowly stroked himself. Patrick’s fingernails dug crescents into David’s hip. Patrick’s responding strangled groan, wide eyes and flushing neck would be seared into David’s memory forever. “I know you said something about _talking_ naked, but… “

Patrick’s face snapped up. “But?”

David took a step forward until their bodies were flush and wrapped his hand around the back of Patrick’s head as he leaned in for a kiss. After some kissing featuring a lot of tongue and heavy breathing, David pulled back to catch his breath. “But what if we kissed first and talked later? I need to formulate some more thoughts.”

Patrick’s mouth shifted into a sly grin. “Formulate, huh?”

“Yup,” he said with a pop on the P. “I ran out of thoughts when we talked downstairs. Gotta refill the well.” 

“How do you like to refill your well?”

David bit his lip. “Come here and I’ll show you.” He pulled Patrick onto the bed with him. In all the time he’d spent imagining getting naked with Patrick, he usually envisioned someone a bit hesitant and shy. Boy, had he misread that. He should have known Patrick’s cocky attitude and take-charge demeanor would translate to the bedroom, and he couldn’t wait to see how far those tendencies reached.

Shifting to hold Patrick’s hand, David turned and walked over to the bed and pulling Patrick with him. He laid down on his back and pulled Patrick on top and used his free hand to pull the covers over Patrick. With that much skin-to-skin contact, he was closer to spontaneously combusting than freezing, and the covers would trap the heat in nicely. Though he wanted to see as much of Patrick’s body as he could, there was something sexy about fooling around under covers and seeing vague shapes writhing while relying more on touch than sight. He wanted to _feel_ how Patrick reacted to him.

“See? This is cozy and cuddly,” David said as his hands trailed down Patrick’s broad back.

The heat in Patrick’s eyes took a backseat to the earnestness David had grown to crave as much as the heat from Patrick’s touch. “I’m really happy to be here with you, David. Like this.”

“Finally got me naked in your bed,” David said because he was an asshole who couldn’t handle too much sincerity.

Patrick arched his back to lean away and look deep into David’s eyes. He’d squirm if he wasn’t fully trapped by Patrick’s body. Patrick ran his fingers through David’s hair, and he couldn’t resist leaning into the touch. “Of course I’m thrilled you’re naked in my bed, but I mean here in the bigger sense. That we finally stopped being idiots and are making something happen between us. I really like you, David, a hell of a lot, and I’m really honored you trust me with the big things in your life.”

“You’re the big thing in my life,” David said before his filter turned on. Patrick pressed the sweets, chastest kiss to David’s lips and he absolutely melted at it. He never imagined he could have a naked person on top of him with sex on the horizon, but feel content to simply talk and cuddle if they wanted. “And thank you for making it so easy to trust you.”

Their lips found each other for another soft kiss, but it quickly deepened as tongues dipped into each other’s mouths. Patrick shifted his body to put one leg between David’s, which put their cocks in direct contact. Patrick released a deep groan. “Fuck, David. You feel so good.” He braced himself on his forearms and closed his eyes as he rubbed his hips slowly into David’s. 

David dragged his fingernails down Patrick’s back with a bit of extra pressure to see if Patrick liked it. The way he keened and arched into the touch told David they were going to have so much fun together. He couldn’t wait to discover all the ways he could take Patrick apart. “What do you want, Patrick?” He pressed into Patrick as his hands spread over Patrick’s ass. The way Patrick’s body shivered when David had mentioned rimming spurred him on to explore a little. He grabbed a handful of each cheek and squeezed, pulling them apart slightly. Patrick pressed his cock into David. _Hard._

“I want everything. I don’t know what I want,” Patrick panted into David’s neck as he placed sporadic kisses. He loved seeing Patrick lose control.

“Can I touch you?”

Patrick nodded as he watched David’s face with wild eyes. David reached his hand between them and ran his fingertips along Patrick’s cock, smiling as Patrick’s hips bucked. “Your hand feels so fucking good. David, oh my God.” He rutted into David’s hand. “I’m too close. Stop, _stop.”_

David pulled his hand back and pulled Patrick in for a kiss. While they kissed messily with tongues and a bit too much teeth, he hooked his legs around Patrick to hold him in place. Hopefully a bit of kissing sans humping would help him calm down a bit. Help both of them calm down, frankly. David didn’t expect either of them to last long, but he didn’t want it to end yet.

“David, can I touch you? Please?” Patrick traced kisses down David’s neck. “I’ve thought about touching you so much.”

“Yes. Please.” David tucked one hand behind his head and watched Patrick lick and kiss across his chest. When the tip of Patrick’s tongue darted out to rub along David’s nipple, he arched toward the contact. “Fuck, that feels good.”

Patrick looked up and grinned as he doubled his efforts on David’s other nipple. “I’ll have to remember that.”

The sound he made at Patrick’s promise should have been embarrassing, but he couldn’t muster enough worry to care. He watched Patrick slide the covers down and crawl down David’s body. “I’m now realizing how your laser-like focus at the store might come in handy in other ways.”

Patrick spread his fingers through David’s chest hair. “Just you wait until I’ve made a mental list of all the things you like.” His fingers trailed down David’s side. “The things that make you moan and shake.” He kissed David’s hip. “The things that make you yell my name and come so hard you see stars.”

When Patrick wrapped his hand around David’s dick, it was a fucking miracle he didn’t come on the spot. He’d watched Patrick’s hands assemble furniture and apply labels and type and quickly flip through cash. But seeing his pale, calloused fingers against David’s flushed cock was a sight to behold. As though on autopilot, Patrick licked the head of his dick.

“Fuck!”

“Sorry,” Patrick said without an ounce of regret.

“The only thing you should be sorry for is stopping,” David said as he dropped his head back on the pillow.

Patrick used one hand to grip David’s cock and the other tucked under one of David’s ass cheeks. He swirled his tongue around the head and dipped into the slit, licking up David’s precome. But when Patrick angled David’s dick to lick the underside from base to tip, he couldn’t help the way his hips lifted from Patrick’s bed and bucked. He wasn’t expecting Patrick to be so… so… exploratory. When his pelvis dropped back down to the bed, his ass landed on Patrick’s hand a little further to the side from where it had been, and Patrick’s fingertips dipped into his crease. Before the polite _the guy I’m naked with has never been with a guy and I should slow down_ side of him could push some rational thought into his brain, his pressed into Patrick’s fingers and moaned. With Patrick’s fingers near his hole and his tongue on his cock, he was in heaven.

Patrick stopped touching his dick and looked at David with an awed expression. Before David could protest or beg, he noticed Patrick’s tentative fingers press against the sensitive skin around his hole. David bit his lip and gyrated his hips slowly as he watched for any discomfort on Patrick’s face. No discomfort or hesitation or even disgust. Patrick’s Cheshire smile grew, and David could practically fucking see Patrick adding that to his mental spreadsheet called _What Gets David Off_.

“So, David.”

“Mm?” He bit the inside of his cheek, but a laugh escaped at Patrick’s innocent expression.

“Remember earlier when you mentioned something about someone letting me finger them open so I could fuck them?”

David rotated his hips again when one of Patrick’s fingers pressed against his hole. “I seem to recall something about that, yes.”

“Can you be the _them_ in that scenario?”

David propped himself up on his forearms and looked down at the absurdly sexy man between his legs. “You want to do that? Now?”

Patrick’s cheeks turned a bit pink, but he didn’t look away. “I would, if you’re interested in that.”

“If you have lube and a condom, you’re fucking on.”

Patrick scrambled up the bed and reached over to his nightstand. David took the opportunity to suck a kiss at the inside of Patrick’s bicep. “David, fuck.” Patrick shifted over David and kissed him. It wasn’t fair how good Patrick was at kissing. David had fully expected to have the upper hand in their physical relationship, but like with everything else, Patrick surprised him.

David couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so warm. No, not warm, _hot_. All the points of skin contact with Patrick had his body heat working overtime.

“Hey, you okay?” Patrick pressed a chaste kiss to David’s lips. He was starting to understand the appeal of laughing in bed and talking and checking in with each other.

“Yeah, um.” He wasn’t used to being honest about feelings? While naked? “Thinking about the curse, actually.”

“Are you warm enough?” Patrick cupped David’s neck as his thumb dragged across the apple of his cheek.

“I’d say I’m hot.”

“Yeah you are.” Patrick leered at him.

“Simmer down.” David pinched Patrick’s side. “I’m sweating. I haven’t done that since… “ He waved a hand.

“Oh! I hadn’t thought about that. I guess it would be hard to sweat if you’re cold all the time.” Patrick looked at where David felt beads of sweat pooling at his hairline.

“Mmhmm.” He self-consciously wiped at one of his temples. Then Patrick did the sexiest fucking thing and licked at David’s other temple. “Are you literally trying to kill me by being a fucking sex god?”

Patrick smiled at David’s high-pitched gripe like he was completely charmed by David’s antics. He blinked slowly and stared down at David. “I’ve already achieved sex god status and haven’t even given you an orgasm yet. I’m honored, David. Truly.”

He kissed the smug look off Patrick’s face. “You’re a goddamn menace. You know that?”

“I do and you love it.” Patrick sat back on his heels and popped the cap of the lube open, dropping some onto his fingers. David’s skin vibrated in anticipation of what those fingers were about to do.

David clenched as he watched the fingers travel down, but Patrick surprised him by gripping his cock instead. Patrick stroked him expertly until David thrashed on the bed. “Wait, wait!” His muscles began to tighten as his orgasm snuck up the horizon. “I don’t want to get too close yet.”

“We wouldn’t want that. I fully expect you to come on my cock as I fuck you. That work for you?” He dribbled more lube on his fingers then circled David’s hole.

David bent his knees and planted his feet on the bed. “That sounds perfectly acceptable to me.” He moaned as Patrick pressed a fingertips against his hole. “You know, I thought we’d kiss a little tonight. Maybe even make out with a little hand under the shirt action. But this?” He moaned as Patrick pushed in to the knuckle. “Totally unexpected.” Heat raced through his body at the contact of Patrick’s skin inside of him. “So hot. You’re so hot. Like literally hot.”

“Too much?”

“No! Don’t stop.” With each degree his body temperature climbed, it chased away memories of chill he’d suffered with for years.

Patrick slowly pulled his finger out and pushed it back in a bit further. “The way I figure it is, I’ve jerked of a _lot_ thinking about all the ways I could make you come while naked.” He added more lube then fucked David a bit faster with the finger. “When I’ve Googled ways men can have sex, I’ve imagined you every time.” He pressed a second finger in, and David keened. “When I played with myself, I imagined it was you.” He pressed a kiss to David’s thigh, and David’s brain buffered at the onslaught of mental images of Patrick touching himself. “I guess I didn’t want to waste any more time. It’s a special day and I want to make it even more special.”

The way Patrick expertly worked his body and his emotions left David both wrung out and wound up. “We’re going to have so much fun together,” David said, panting.

With a little more lube, he pressed in a third finger. “We really are. I can’t wait to learn what your kinks are.” Patrick winked.

“Never in a million years did I think I’d hear you say the word _kinks_. Jesus, Patrick. I think you’re actively trying to kill me. Did you take a life insurance policy out on me or something?” He ground down onto Patrick’s incredible fingers.

“I’m glad I can surprise you, though it sounds like you seriously underestimated me.” Patrick rubbed against David’s prostate, and he shouted at the jolts it shot through him. “But the fact you’re still speaking in complete sentences tells me I need to work a little harder. You ready for me?”

“Ready, yeah, ready.” David nodded and shook his head and moved his head in circles and whatever it took to get Patrick’s cock in him _now._

Patrick pulled his fingers out and slid the condom on. He looked down at David and smiled. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

David wrapped his arms around Patrick’s broad shoulders and pulled him down for a deep kiss. He hooked his legs around Patrick’s waist and tilted his hips for easier access. “Me neither, but I’m so fucking happy.” The feeling of Patrick’s cock pressing against his hole was unreal. Things had progressed so damn fast with Patrick over the last couple of hours, but somehow it felt more right than anything he’d experienced before. He dug his heels into Patrick’s ass until Patrick slowly began to push in.

“Fuck. Fuck! David! Oh my god. Fuck.” Patrick cursed and moaned and kissed any part of David’s skin he could as he slid inside. He stilled when he was fully seated.

David froze. Not literal freezing though because his body was _on fucking fire_. Flames licked at him from the inside out. The tips of his fingers and toes burned, his throat ached, and his heart seized. He grabbed Patrick’s head and stared into his eyes, willing Patrick to see everything in them. All the feelings he’d push to the side or tried to swallow down, and the feelings he’d tried to express tonight. But it wasn’t enough. He needed Patrick to know everything. “Patrick.” A hot tear slid down the side of his head and onto his ear. “Oh, Patrick.”

Patrick smiled so soft and loving. “Hey.” He traced his thumb across the path of the tear. “You okay?”

“I’m burning up. It feels so good.” He leaned up and kissed Patrick with all the emotion trying to burst out of him. “You feel so good.”

Slowly, Patrick pulled back and pushed back in again, and David’s eyes rolled back in his head. He held on and tried to match thrusts as Patrick found a rhythm. The heat inside him crescendoed as the warning of an orgasm settled in his gut.

“Close. Getting close.”

Patrick kissed David, licking into his mouth, then raised up to sit back on his heels. He wrapped his arms around David’s thighs and pulled him closer while picking up his pace. Lifting one of David’s legs, Patrick dropped David’s ankle onto his shoulder and fucked into him at the new angle. Like a fucking master, he wrapped his still-lubed fingers around David’s cock and stroked to match his thrusts. “Come for me. Wanna feel you clench around my cock.”

David couldn’t take his eyes off of the way Patrick’s muscles flexed with each thrust and the sheen of sweat across his chest and forehead. He’d never looked more beautiful than in that moment, chasing his pleasure. The orgasm crashed into him and he squeezed his eyes closed so hard he saw white. Patrick shouted David’s name a moment later, then collapsed on him as they rode out their orgasms.

David knew he had an awful giddy smile on his face, but he didn’t care. He kissed the top of Patrick’s head and wrapped his arms around him, squeezing as tightly as he could. “That was incredible. You’re incredible.” David felt elated, light, free. He’d opened up to Patrick and it- it _worked_. If he wasn’t careful, he’d fall in love with Patrick.

Who the hell was he kidding? He’d been slowly falling in love with him for weeks and weeks, but in the biggest twist of events that day, the thought didn’t scare him. It thrilled him.


	16. Chapter 16

“See you soon?” Patrick leaned across the console and kissed David. They’d already kissed a bunch that morning, but David couldn’t get enough.

“Mmhmm. I’ll bring you a tea.” One more kiss. David reached over and opened the door. “Okay, I’m really going to go now.”

“Okay. Go shower and hurry to the store. Maybe pack a bag? Ray isn’t coming back until tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?! I thought he was just gone for the night!”

Patrick blushed. “He texted me this morning that he decided to stay and visit his family for another day. He doesn’t leave town very often so—“

“We’ll definitely be taking advantage of the privacy. I’ll pack a bag and hurry to work.” David kissed Patrick one more time then left the car before he pulled Patrick in for more kisses. Patrick was an _amazing_ kisser and David wasn’t known for his self control.

When he slipped into his motel room, he heard Alexis in the bathroom, so he snagged the key for the love room. He rushed over to grab a couple of toys from his fun chest and a piece of clothing he hadn’t worn in… a long time. 

David was nearly packed when Alexis exited the bathroom. “Leave any hot water for me?”

“Ugh. How was I supposed to know you’d come back from your booty call?”

“Um, because I _live_ here and all my clothes are here? Anyway, it wasn’t a booty call.”

“Whatever, David. Mom said your little button business partner came by last night then you disappeared.” She double-winked at him. “Are you going to give me all the juicy details?”

“Absolutely not!” He strode into the bathroom with his bundle of clothes and slammed the door closed behind him.

Showered, hair coiffed, skin cared for, and ready for the day, he steeled his nerves and opened the bathroom door.

“Wow, David. You’re—” Alexis’s eyebrows practically jumped to her hairline.

“I know.”

Alexis walked over and squeezed his shoulder. “Patrick?”

He nodded because his voice failed him.

“I’m so happy for you.”

“Me too.” He stuffed some toiletries into his bad. “I won’t be here tonight.”

“Ew, David,” she said, smiling. “Dinner tomorrow night? You can fill me in?”

He looked over at her and returned her smile. “Yeah. That sounds great.”

Sliding on his winter coat, he picked up his overnight bag and strode to the store feeling lighter than he ever had. He stopped outside the door and watched Patrick at the counter with his laptop open. A moment later, Patrick looked up and smiled the biggest smile David had seen on him. He opened the door and stepped inside.

“Good morning, handsome.” Patrick leaned his forearms on the counter, bent at the waist.

“Now that’s a greeting I could get used to. Good morning.” He walked up and kissed Patrick’s cheek, as Patrick’s hands immediately moved to touch skin. “I’ll hang up my coat. Be right back.” He gave Patrick’s ass a quick squeeze as he passed.

As he hung his coat and scarf on the rack, his heart rate kicked up. He took a steadying breath and passed back through the doorway to the front. Patrick stood over by the candles with his back to David.

“We should probably order more of the sandalwo-“ Patrick froze when he turned around. “David.”

“Patrick.” He grinned.

“You’re wearing short sleeves.”

“I am.”

Patrick rushed over to him, his smile wider than his gait. “I’m not even touching you.”

“I know.” David let his smile run free.

“How?”

David shrugged. “I think your magic dick broke the curse.”

Patrick blinked then bent over and laughed. David would never tire of that sound. Patrick grabbed onto David’s arm as he shook with his laughter. The touch was nice and warmed him up at the thought of all the ways they’d touched last night, but it wasn’t the same kind of warmth. David knew for sure the curse was gone.

Patrick straightened. “You’re not cold?”

David shook his head, smiling. “I wasn’t cold in bed, even when we weren’t touching, but I thought it was because you were so close and maybe residual warmth from all the incredible sex.”

Patrick’s cheeks reddened.

“But after you dropped me off, the cold never came. Then I thought more about it. When I went to the bathroom at your place, I didn’t feel cold.” His cheeks burned and he looked down for a moment. Opening up yesterday had changed his life, and he couldn’t stop now. “I think finally telling you how I felt and taking a risk with you broke the curse. The words of the curse never made sense to me until yesterday.”

“I didn’t realize there were specific words.” Patrick reached out for David’s hand. He loved that they’d built that habit, and the touch warmed him in a different way now.

“Until you shed the cold within, you will feel cold within.”

Patrick frowned slightly and tilted his head.

“I think shedding the cold within meant no longer keeping myself closed off, maybe? Keeping, um, love out of my heart. Or whatever.” He looked up at the ceiling. It was _way_ the fuck too early to say those words to each other, but he knew that’s what was building between them.

“You let in my warmth.” Patrick wrapped his arms around David’s waist.

David grinned at him as he draped his arms over Patrick’s shoulders. “I did. You’re quite persistent.”

“Lucky for you.”

“Mm. Lucky indeed.”

“Actually, I think I’m the lucky one. Now you get to show off these sexy arms more.”

David laughed into Patrick’s kiss. “Can’t have you getting distracted at work, so don’t get used to it.”

“You’re no fun.”

“Patrick, I’m _lots_ of fun.” He waggled his eyebrows.

Patrick blushed through his smile. “You definitely are.” He leaned his forehead against David’s. “I’m really happy.”

“Me too,” David whispered. “So happy.”


	17. Chapter 17

_Dear Marissa,_

_I hope you’re doing well. It’s been a few years since I showed up on your doorstep and tried to bribe you (sorry about that) and fifteen years since my mother and I first met you. We didn’t treat you with the respect you deserved at that first meeting, and I sincerely apologize for that._

_I wanted to let you know I broke the curse one year ago. I met someone whose touch gave me warmth, and eventually I stopped being an idiot. When I let him into my heart, the cold went away. While the fourteen years of constantly freezing absolutely sucked, I will forever be grateful for the part you played in Patrick becoming a part of my life._

_We’re getting married in September, and if you find yourself in Ontario, we’d be honored to have you at the wedding. I promise my mother is far less condescending these days, and I know she would be happy to see you._

_I’ve included a basket with some items Patrick and I sell at our store. The bath bombs are especially delightful._

_All the best to you,_

_David Rose_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm over on Tumblr at [lisamc-21](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/lisamc-21).


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